A Different Choice
by CajunSpice714
Summary: Tobias Eaton: son of Marcus Eaton, and Beatrice Prior: daughter of Andrew and Natalie Prior, choose the selfless route and stay in Abnegation. What is Divergence and what does it mean for her? For him? Eventually Fourtris
1. Chapter 1

AN: I know some of you may hate me for starting another fic when I have two that are in desperate need of updating, but when inspiration strikes it strikes. This fic is for Jackie, my fellow Dauntless and lovely Beta.

Disclaimer: I do not own the Divergent Series or any characters associated with it. That all belongs to the lovely Veronica Roth. I do, however, own the plot and several secondary characters that will pop up along the way in this fan fiction only. I do not intend to infringe on any copyright nor do I claim anything other than secondary characters and the plot as my own.

 **Our universe grants every soul a twin-  
a reflection of themselves -the kindred spirit – And no matter where they are or how far away they are from each other- even if they are in different dimensions, they will always find one another. This is destiny; this is love.**

 **-Julie Dillon**

My throat feels tight as I stand behind my parents, bandage pressed to my hand to stop the bleeding from where I had cut it with the knife before dropping my blood onto Abnegation stones. Was this the right choice? I don't know. What I do know is it was the most selfless choice I could make, right? My mother smiles at me - her eyes holding a bit of sadness. I have never seen that look in her eyes - but also happiness and pride. I know I will never be free from the suffocating life the abnegation wants me to lead, but at least I have them, my parents, and they are happy. I can do this, I tell myself as I help stack chairs with the other initiates of my faction, taking cues from my mother and father as they talk lightly with the rest of the Abnegation members who had come to the ceremony.

"Beatrice." My mother calls, gesturing me over to meet the other initiates. There were eight of us total; five abnegation and three transfers. The Abnegation I know from around my own home: my neighbor Susan, Anthony and Alvin - twin boys who lived up the street from us; both dark haired with small noses and large, deep set eyes, and a brown haired mousy looking girl who I had sat next to in math for two years but could not remember her name. That was a problem in Abnegation, I have always thought, we are so plain and draw no attention to ourselves that even in our own faction we can not tell one another apart. The transfers consist of two Candor: a black haired boy with wide, terrified eyes who was the first transfer from our year and a small, redheaded girl who refused to watch as the others left, and an Amity boy with sandy brown hair and a soft smile.

The smile falls from the Amity transfer's face when a large hand claps down on his shoulder. "For the next thirty days," a voice booms causing more than just me to jump, "you will be assigned to a variety of volunteer positions so you can get a feel for what you would like to do here in Abnegation." Marcus Eaton is a tall, broad-shouldered man who is also the leader of our government. I try to fight the scowl forming on my lips and look down to hide my displeasure in how rough he is being to one of our transfers. "For now, we will take you to the Government building where transfers will be assigned your initiation foster home and every one's week one volunteer placement will be chosen." I get to stay with my parents until after initiation? That is a relief. "If you wish to return to a position you may do so after week three of initiation. After the final day, there will be a ceremony, then you shall be assigned to your living quarters as an adult." Something, to me, feels off about Marcus' smile, his too loud voice, and his controlling demeanor. I chastise myself for being so judgmental even in thought, though I can't quite keep the suspicion from my mind.

Suspicion is a selfish thought. I am not selfish, I reminded myself. I am selfless, I am nothing. I am selfless, I am nothing. I am selfless. I am nothing.

I can't help but give my mother a shy smile when we enter our home an hour later. I have been given the assignment of working in the infirmary clinic between Abnegation and Erudite headquarters. "I'm glad you chose to stay." My mother whispers into my hair. I feel thrown for a few moments - my world off balance at her statement. Isn't her expressing her happiness selfish? But my mother is not selfish. I have to remind myself that I was being treated like an adult now, not a small insignificant child, but as a peer. I return her smile. "Shall we get some boxes from the neighbors and pack away some things in the spare room for when we are placed with an initiate?" My mother's statement shakes me a bit, her eyes shine with tears that are gone as quickly as they came. I'm not sure which shakes me more - that she allowed me to see she was visibly upset by Caleb's leaving, or that Caleb's room was now being referred to as "the spare room" as if my brother hadn't been sleeping in it just last night?

"I'll do it." I offer, my voice soft as I touch her arm. "I'll do it." My mother nods allowing me leave from her to go next door.

When Susan opens the door, I notice that her eyes are red and her cheeks tear-stained as if she had been crying. "B-Beatrice, come in." She offers, her voice shakes as she steps aside. She and her father are packing up Robert's things as well, it seemed. I want to reach out and comfort her but I'm not really sure how.

"H-how are you?" My voice sounds dry and hollow. Mechanical.

"Fine," Susan hiccups as her father answers for her. "We'll be fine, thank you for asking Beatrice, how are you and your parents?"

"Fine," I reply with a nod. I rest a hand on Susan's arm and offer a small smile. "Come to dinner with us?" I ask. I know not cooking and cleaning for one night wasn't going to help anyone really, but it seemed like a selfless thing to do. Susan nods and looks over her shoulder where her father nods also.

"Thank you Beatrice that would be lovely." I smile and nod my head, backing out of their home before heading back to mine. I should have asked my mother before inviting guests over, but I really don't think she'd have a problem with it.

"Mother?" I call, entering our house.

"Up here." Her soft voice calls from upstairs. I head up the stairs to find her in Caleb's room, packing books into his plain bookshelf. I frown and drop to my knees next to her.

"I said I would do it, mom. " I state softly.

"Did you bring the boxes?" She asks, ignoring me. I had forgotten the boxes when I had seen Susan so sad.

"No." I reply. "Susan was so upset over Robert that I forgot about the boxes when I invited her and her father for dinner."

My mother smiles. "That was very kind of you, Beatrice." She responds, stacking books in her arms as she seeks out another place to put them; the book case full.

"We can put some in my room until we can get enough boxes together to donate them." I tell her, taking the books from her arms and trekking across the hall to my room to shove the books into my bookshelf with ease.

It takes us less than an hour to make Caleb's room suitable for an initiate. We smile at each other and return downstairs so I can begin dinner. As I am cutting carrots, I hear my father enter our home. He and my mother talk for several moments before I feel his hand skimming my hair. "How was your day, Beatrice?" He asks, pulling extra chicken from the freezer to thaw.

"Fine," I respond, looking over my shoulder at him.

"Marcus and his son, Tobias, are coming over with two of the new initiates - one will be staying with us, the other with Marcus." I nod, adding more carrots to the stack that I was cutting, making sure to make enough to feed nine people. I look over my shoulder and watch my mother and father work together to pull apart our table and add two leaflets and five chairs to it. It had been so long since I had been together with so many people in a home of our size; I had to think to remember when. The only time I could remember was the death of Marcus' wife when I was seven. I don't think I have even seen Tobias since then since we haven't gone to any choosing ceremonies besides my own.

I answer the door at the first knock; Susan and her father stand there with soft smiles. "Thank you for inviting us, Beatrice." Susan states, offering out a casserole she had made. I take it and bring it to the table thanking her as I did. Marcus, Tobias and the two transfers follow minutes after, each dipping their heads to my father who greets them. Once we are seated, I look around and smile to myself. My father starts serving, passing each bowl to the right when he's done. This is nice. Having a full house is a change from the subdued dinners we usually have with just me, Caleb and our parents. A twinge develops in my chest at the thought of Caleb but is quickly wiped away when a hand is offered to me from my left. I blink at it, and then up at the owner: Tobias. I had never held hands with a boy other than my brother before but, as I slide my hand into his, it feels different than I imagined it would have with just any boy. It's like my skin is on fire, each nerve ending connecting with his in some strange electrical way and my lips part in surprise. I don't know if he feels it, too, because when I look up at him he has his eyes closed and head bowed, my father's voice slipping over us as he says grace. I quell my curiosity and mimic my peers. Focus. I scold myself

My father thanks God for our family, our friends, our initiates, and our health. He gives praise to me for our meal and to our guests for helping and my mother for her love. I smile at this and hope some day I will have a love like theirs. We eat quietly for a bit before my father starts conversation with Marcus. I relax a bit and Susan shifts closer to speak to me quietly. "Where did you get placed?" She asked.

"I'm helping at the clinic this week." I reply. Susan nods and was about to respond when Marcus' voice cut in."You'll be working under Tobias then I suspect." My attention turns to Tobias, realizing I knew nothing about the man sitting next to me. Tobias dips his head in a nod but continues to eat quietly.

"Is it a difficult job, Tobias?" Susan asks. "It's awfully nice of you to care for those who are ill or in pain." She smiles at him with almost worshipful eyes and I feel a pang of something creep into my stomach.

Tobias looks embarrassed by Susan's attention and lifts a shoulder. "It's very rewarding work, helping those who need it." He replies. Susan nods but suspicion creeps into my mind again, for some reason his answer feels rehearsed. I give him a small smile, which he returns before turning back to his food. I notice, out of the corner of my eye, a brief sour look on Marcus' face before I return to my own meal.

After dinner, Susan and the transfers clean up and bring the dishes into the kitchen while Tobias and I wash them. We are silent as we scrub, until everything has been brought in and we are alone with the promise of no interruptions for a time. "Are you alright?" I ask, touching his arm gently. He pulls away too quickly, eyes wide as he looks from me to the wet spot on his shirt and back to me.

"Fine." His voice is hollow, like he has been sucked of any and all emotion. What is wrong with him? Curiosity isn't a quality we are supposed to have in Abnegation, but I have never really been able to stomp it out completely.

"You're not fine." I whisper, looking over my shoulder to see if anyone can hear us. My mother and Susan are knitting while my father and Marcus talk and the two initiates sit quietly and observe. "You can tell me, you know."

"No. I don't know." He snaps and I am taken aback by the sudden emotions in Tobias' eyes. Fear? Anger? I hadn't seen either of these emotions in such a long time that I can't quite register which Tobias was trying to contain. I nod and we dissolve into silence once again. The dishes take longer than I expect, especially with Tobias tense like he's ready to take flight next to me. We both jump when Marcus' voice crosses into the kitchen. "Tobias, I believe it's time to take our leave."

Tobias sets aside the plate he was drying and nods to me. "Thank you for dinner, Beatrice." He dips his head and offers me a smile that doesn't quite reach his eyes, before entering the living room to thank my parents, Susan and her father for the night. I frown as he catches my eye again as he follows his father out, a curious look on his face - one that I don't quite understand.

After Susan and her father leave, I get more acquainted with our transfer. He is the Amity with the kind smile I had met earlier. He wasn't handsome by any standard - kind of plain like the Abnegation boys I knew - with sandy hair and small facial features. His name is Randolph and he has been assigned to helping with lunch at the lower level school. Part of me wishes I could switch places with him, knowing that tomorrow I will have to face Tobias again, and spend an entire eight hours learning all I can from him about working in the infirmary but the knot in my stomach makes me feel like this will be a disaster.


	2. Chapter 2

**The** bus we take to get to the clinic isn't as crowded as it was on choosing day, but Tobias still gives up his seat to an older woman who bustles onto the bus at the last moment. I stand with him, feeling his eyes on my face but I refuse to look up. I know he's judging me, wondering why it's not as easy for me to give up my seat to someone as it is for him. I hold onto the pole that stands in the middle of the bus, looking at my feet. I am closer to Tobias than I would like to be but I am also too short to reach the over head rails to hold onto them.

The bus hits a rough patch in the road and my shoulder knocks into his rib cage and his arm drops from the rail to my shoulders to steady me for a brief moment, leaving us both breathless. "Careful, Tris." His voice is soft, so soft I'm not sure I even register it, before his arm is gone and his attention is turned back to the doors, away from me and toward our destination, losing himself once again. I wish it was that easy for me, to forget myself, but instead I look around at the people on the bus with us, just small glances, taking in our surroundings.

The bus stops and Tobias and a few others move to get off. I stumble over my too long pant legs and a voice follows me off the bus " Walk much, Stiff?" Followed by laughter from other patrons on the bus. Tobias' mouth is set into a scowl as I finally get off the bus, like it was some great inconvenience to wait for me. Once I'm at his side again, he turns and starts the walk towards the clinic.

I have only been to the clinic a few times in memory, mostly for check ups as I grew, and once when my mother broke her arm and had to have her cast taken off. People come to the clinic when the hospital isn't really needed because it is in the Erudite area of the city - it's too far away for just any sort of visit that isn't an emergency. It smells like cleaning products and lemon spray - like the fresh lemonade we once had when visiting Amity when I was small. Tobias leads me to what looks like a meeting room where I sit with others. One of the other Abnegation initiates, the Candor transfer, Allen, sits next to me, but the rest are Erudite initiates dressed in blues.

"For the next week you will be under my guidance." An Erudite woman dressed in a dark blue suit with white trim states, walking toward the front of the room. "The Abnegation initiates will be helping the nurses with patient care. You will learn how to monitor and record vital signs, where to retrieve items the nurses and doctors need, and how to clean the rooms when you are finished. Please greet Tobias and Meralee." I hadn't seen the other Abnegation woman dressed in gray scrubs enter but when I look up, she is there and Tobias is not. Where did he go? "They will be your guardians in showing you today how to do this and tomorrow you will be on your own. If you have questions, please ask. The Erudite initiates that are here will be assigned to a doctor depending on which practice you were most interested in researching." A clip board is handed to me along with a stack of gray clothing. "Beatrice and Allen, Meralee will show you where to change and where to put your belongings for the day." We both nod and stand before being lead to the bathrooms to change.

The scrubs I'm supposed to wear are thin and I feel naked with them on. Separating my undershirt from my top shirt I pull it off before pulling the scrub top on over it. I feel less exposed this way. I tuck my belongings into my bag and wash my hands, my eyes briefly flashing up to the mirror above the sink before returning to my hands. Once I finish I exit the bathroom with out another glance in the mirror and find Tobias standing there talking quietly with Meralee. "Beatrice, you've been assigned to follow Tobias, Allen you're with me." My stomach plummets. I had hoped I would be with Meralee - something about Tobias just unnerves me.

"Come on." Tobias gestures for me to follow him. I notice now that he is in gray scrubs like me but his arms are showing, he isn't wearing anything underneath his scrub top that I can tell. I'm not sure why, but I feel my cheeks flush when the muscles in his arm flex as he points at something to our left. "Blankets, towels and other linens are in this closet here." I nod. Linen closet: check. "Here is the medical supplies," He steps into a room full of a variety of medical supplies and gestures around, my eyes catch on his arms again. "everything is labeled and the doctors or nurse will tell you what they need, you come in here and get it. Not that hard." I nod again and follow him out. "Each room has its own collection of cleaning supplies." He steps into a recently vacant room and I follow. All of this following makes me feel stupid but I watch anyways. He explains each motion step by step for me like I'm too stupid to just watch and learn from him that way.

"Strip the paper from top to bottom, spray, wipe and spread out more paper. Wipe down the sink, the computer keyboard and screen, the door knobs." He does everything in a mechanically learned sort of way and I just watch. We move onto the next room where there is a folder in the door. He picks it up, looks over the name and the chart before showing it to me. "All we need to know is the person's name and gender." He states before putting the folder back and knocking on the door.

"Hello, Mr Andrews." He calls, entering the room when the okay is given. "I'm Tobias, this is one of our initiates, Beatrice. Is it alright if I show her how to take and record vital signs?" The man - a balding, middle aged Erudite - nods. Tobias sits down in the chair across from him and shows me the instruments he will be using. He pulls a pad from a drawer, attaches it to a wire and then to the man's temple, "For taking his temperature," Tobias tells me before wrapping a cuff attached to another wire around the man's upper arm, "blood pressure," Finally, he wraps a bit of tape attached to yet another wire to the mans forefinger, "oxygen and pulse. You push this button here and wait for the beep; It takes maybe three minutes tops." I stand, hands clasped in front of me and nod.

The machine beeps and I look up to read the numbers. Tobias points to each one before pointing to the computer screen where they are supposed to be put into the computer. "Blood pressure goes here," He typed in the number before moving over to the next box, "this is the pulse, oxygen in percentage, and temperature in Celsius." I follow his fingers and nod whenever he looks at me to make sure I'm following his directions. Once everything is put into the computer, he stands and removes everything from Mr. Andrews. He throws away the pad from the man's temple and the tape from around his finger and sanitizes the cuff around his arm with a wet wipe that smells like bleach. "Thank you, Mr. Andrews." Tobias says, bowing his head to the man before moving to exit the room. I squeak a quick thank you before following him out.

"I know it's a lot to take in on your first day," Tobias states as we move on to clean another room. "but we haven't had anyone actually fail initiation." I'm not sure if he's trying to reassure me or warn me that he thinks I might fail. In the next room he lets me take the lead, observing as I put on gloves and remove paper and wipe down surfaces. In the next room we meet an Abnegation woman waiting for the doctor. Taking vital signs is more nerve-racking than cleaning rooms because you have to interact with people - which makes me nervous. Sometimes I wonder if they can see it, if I have 'Divergent' written on my head. I shake some hair from my eyes as I copy down the numbers into their appropriate spaces and remove the equipment just as Tobias had done with the last patient. I wish her a good day and we leave.

"It's not that hard." I state, smiling to myself as we move on to the next room. "Why did you choose to do this as your job?" I ask him as we walk. He frowns at me, puzzled for a moment but answers anyways. "I don't like to see people in pain and want to do everything I can to help those who need it." Again I get the feeling that his answers are rehearsed.

Lunch time comes and Tobias leaves me with the other initiates. I sit next to Allen and offer him a small smile before starting in on my meal. The Erudite down the table from us talk excitedly about their studies and one tries to balance his fork on his nose. When the fork falls from his nose and into the applesauce on his plate, I can't help but laugh with the others when it splatters across his clothes and the table. Allen looks at me with wide eyes and I just shrug at him before he moves to get up and retrieve a cloth to clean up the table. One of the Erudite girls looks at me suspiciously before I realize I should be helping and jump up to follow Allen. Once the table is clean, and the Erudite have left, we return to our meals - eating in silence.

The rest of the day continues like the morning did, Tobias and I work together on cleaning the rooms and take turns taking vital signs and retrieving items the medical staff need when asked. Once, while cleaning, my hand brushes his as I'm picking up the pen that I dropped and I feel the shock again deep in my stomach, but his hand is already gone by the time I can process what it means. By closing time, I've settled into a routine and I'm sure I could do this on a daily basis even if it was a bit boring.

When I return home, my mother is helping Randolph make supper and my father isn't home yet. "Hello, Beatrice." Randolph calls, giving me a subdued smile. "How was your day?" My mother smiles at me as I move to set the table.

"Fine, thank you. How was yours?" I don't look up as I set four places. I didn't really listen as he talked, my mind wandering back to the two times my hand had touched Tobias': last night at the dinner table and today in the clinic. What did that strange feeling in my stomach mean? I smile and nod as if I was actually listening and moved to see what I could do to help in the kitchen. Dinner is a quiet affair; something that I'm used to. We eat, talk briefly about our days and retire to the living room for the evening after everything is cleaned up. I help my mother knit scarves while my father talks to Randolph about how things work and what he does in the Abnegation Government Building.

I go to bed earlier than anyone else, my mother suggested I go since I kept nodding off over my knitting. I nod and hug her and my father, bowing my head to Randolph, before heading up stairs to shower and head to bed. I dream that I had picked Dauntless instead of Abnegation. For initiation we had to jump on and off of a moving train and then jump off of a cliff into a large body of water. The jumping didn't scare me, heights had never bothered me, but the water: that was a scary thought because I never learned how to swim.

My week goes by slowly. Every day I report to the clinic, and every day I go through the motions that I had learned from Tobias, go home, help with the housework, knit, shower and go to bed. I only see Tobias one other day that week before I receive my next assignment. Working night shift in a nursing home doesn't seem to be too bad. They tell me to bring something to do because there would be free time, which meant knitting. I don't enjoy knitting as much as my mother does, but it makes me feel useful to be making something that will be given away to the factionless, which I imagine is the purpose.

By the time nine rolls around Monday night, I already feel tired even though I had been allowed to rest before going in. My father takes the bus with me since it is dark and the factionless that lurk around at night aren't always the kindest, not to mention there is not much to me and I could not fight off attackers if I tried. Once we arrive he kisses my hair, wishes me a good night and returns to the bus stop to head home. I walk into the building and pause, Tobias is there, sitting at the desk and typing on a computer. I frown and bite my lip as I approach him.

"Um..." I state, unsure what exactly I'm supposed to do. When he looks up, I am caught in tired eyes of dark blue and I feel the breath leave my lungs for a moment before he's speaking. "Go change; there are scrubs in the break room, there," He points and I nod, "and then we will walk through your tasks for the night."

 _How is it,_ I wonder as I change, keeping on my long sleeved undershirt as I change, _that I keep getting him as my mentor?_ Once I am changed, I return to Tobias, hands clutched in front of me as I wait. "The work we do here is simple but rewarding work. Basically we answer the lights that come on here," He taps a blank light board with numbers written on them to his left, "and we go help the people who need help. At twelve and four we check on everyone on our hall and make sure no one needs to be changed." I blink as he stands and nod to follow him down the hallway that is to be ours for the night. "We get ice and cups from here." He stops, pushing open the door to a room. I follow. When he starts lining up cups onto the cart I move to help.

"How many do we need?" I ask, setting the blue cups in rows next to his.

"Twenty two." He replies, and I nod, shifting to start scooping out ice into each cup. Once the cups are full, he pulls out several bottles of water and offers one to me to help pour on top of the ice. When he's filled the last cup, he snaps on lids and I open and insert straws into each lid. Our team work takes us ten minutes to get the twenty two cups situated before we start going door to door to switch out each person's old mug with a new one. I'm surprised with how quiet Tobias is on his feet. He's tall and thin and kind of awkward, but beneath that I'm sure there's muscle somewhere. I blush at the fact that I'm thinking about him and shake the thought from my head as I knock gently on the door of the room across the hall from where Tobias disappeared and enter, switching the mugs.

A hand jerks out from the bed and I let out a loud, startled screech. The old woman laying there starts murmuring random nonsense as the light flicks on and Tobias enters. "Beatrice, what-" His voice cuts off at the panic stricken look in my face and a chuckle escapes. This is the first time I've heard him laugh. "I see you've met Mrs. Bradshaw." I frown at him, how is this funny? The woman holds my arm so tightly in hers I'm sure it will bruise by the morning. Tobias steps over and I try to move as far to the side as I can so he can get between me and the woman. He kneels on the floor next to the bed and starts talking in a deep, calming voice that vibrates in my chest because he's so close. The hand releases me and I rub my wrist while backing away, watching them interact curiously.

Once he has her tucked back into bed, he meets me back in the hallway. I scowl because to me the experience was terrifying and teasing someone is selfish. I wasn't sure how to feel about Tobias laughing at me because I had gotten startled - maybe he wasn't as Abnegation as I had previously thought. We finished the water with no other interruptions and returned to the room where he had gotten the ice to dump the used mugs. "We also get snacks and drinks from in here if someone asks for one, though it's pretty rare this late at night that anyone does." He checked his watch and nodded. We have a bit of time before we do our rounds. "I'm going to work on documentation for our hall." I nod and follow him back to the desk. I've been following him around a lot it feels like.

I get bored watching him do the nightly charting after about ten minutes and pull out my knitting. It is tedious work, but it also lets me get myself lost in thought for a while. This wasn't so bad, but, with all the down time, I know I will get bored quickly. Boredom is selfish and I know I would never be content just sitting and knitting all night so maybe this job wasn't for me.

By the time midnight rolls around, I have nodded off twice, only to wake up to Tobias clearing his throat or tapping his toes as he types, and taken a few steps outside to keep myself awake. When he tells me it's time to do rounds, I nod, even though I have no idea what I'm actually getting myself into. The first few doors, he just peaks in on people, the fifth door, however, he enters completely, gesturing me to follow and closing the door behind us. An old woman lays in the bed, looking as if she's barely breathing. Tobias talks to her in a calm voice as he pulls on gloves before shifting her to her side. He starts stripping the bottoms off of her.

I feel my eyes go wide. "What are you doing, Tobias?" I ask in surprise.

"We have to change her." Tobias states, turning those deep blue eyes on me again. "Pull on a pair of gloves and come over and help." I nod slowly and do as he asked, watching in mild horror as he shows me how to clean her up properly. Once we are finished and back in the hallway I look at him again.

"Apparently you missed the part where I was explaining that we had to change people." He flashes that grin again and I can't find words to express my displeasure and just nod. I follow silently as we continue our rounds and remain silent the rest of the night. I really don't want to finish this shift, let alone come back tomorrow.

Tobias and I catch the bus together with two Abnegation women who work on a different hall from us and I am able to sit. I don't remember dozing off but Tobias' hand on my shoulder startles me awake when we reach our stop. He insists on walking me to my door even though I argue that he is tired and should go home himself instead of worrying about me. It's selfish to think that he wanted to walk with me for reasons other than that it was dangerous to be walking alone, but I can't keep the blush from creeping across my cheeks when my mother opens the door with a small smile and thanks Tobias before I can. I nod to him and head inside, ready to collapse into my bed.


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: I know people may be wondering why I think caring for people in a nursing home would be an Abnegation job, but when I thought about it, as a CNA, it takes a special type of person to care for people who are unable to care for themselves which in my mind screams Abnegation especially when I get comments from family members some times about how selfless I am for doing the job that I do. I hadn't really thought about what jobs Beatrice and Tobias would use until I started writing at work and went to help someone to the bathroom and thought "Huh."**

 **I** sleep for several hours, I'm not sure how many but enough to feel refreshed. I look at my bed side table where the plain alarm clock sits. It is three in the afternoon. Getting up, I dress and head downstairs with the intent on finding whatever lunch my mother would have left for me. I am startled when I enter the kitchen to find Randolph working on cutting up thawed chicken breast. "Hello, Beatrice." He states, eyes not straying from his task. "Your mother made lunch before she left for work and put yours in the refrigerator for when you woke up." He points without looking up. I retrieve the plate from the shelf in the refrigerator and sit down to eat, watching him curiously.

"Are you enjoying your work?" I ask, the silence too awkward for me to bear.

"Your father is very welcoming and I'm picking up on the politics of Abnegation quickly under his guidance." I nod. That sounds like my father. Losing herself in her tasks is easy for my mother, however, sometimes I notice the struggle and frustration my father has to take unless he is completely focused on what he is doing. I got that from him, I imagine, because I am nothing like my mother. "You are going back to the Elderly Home tonight, aren't you?" Randolph asks and I nod before realizing he can't see me

"Yes." I wonder if Tobias will be there again, wonder if I will be working with him again. "Would you like some help?" I ask as I wash off my plate. Randolph shakes his head and I nod. "I'm going to go visit my mother, see if she needs help with anything." In honesty, I know I will get bored just sitting and knitting, and I want to take a walk without judgment. Taking time for yourself is selfish but I'm not entirely lying, I do intend to see my mother, though I intend to take a longer route to her than what is necessary.

I walk four houses up and six over before turning to the south in the direction of my mother's office. I walk slowly without real purpose, enjoying the warm air on my cheeks. It's refreshing, being alone for the first time in what feels like ages. I pass by a group of children jumping over cracks in the sidewalk like Caleb and I used to do. Caleb. My chest aches at the thought of him and I wonder if, and when, it will ever stop when I think of him. The door to the last house on the street I'm on is open and I look around curiously. It's odd for anyone in Abnegation to leave their doors wide open, even when the weather is nice, so I pause in my steps trying to decide whether to see if everything is alright inside. As I move towards the door, Tobias steps out, broom in hand, sweeping dirt from his front steps. He looks up as I'm about to turn and walk away, his expression turning puzzled as if the sight of me confuses him and I blush turning to finish my walk. Entering the Volunteer Building, the thought of Tobias leaves my mind as my mother's warm face greets me.

The week has flown past as Sunday comes around. Tobias and I have worked out a routine and I've only had to work one night without being his partner because he was not there. I've learned that on Mondays and Fridays, he works at the clinic so he doesn't work at the Elderly home on Thursday nights. I feel tired almost constantly now, because of the hours messing up my normal sleep schedule so I take a short nap before meeting Tobias at the bus stop and wake up later than I had intended - having to rush. The bus is already at the stop when I get there and he holds the door for me as I get on, my breath heaving from my chest as I plop down in a seat near the back of the bus away from the others.

There are only six of us on the bus tonight, two Candor men talking to each other, me and Tobias, and two Erudite who are quietly reading. We sit in silence but after only a moment or two, I turn to watch Tobias curiously. He is looking out the window, watching the buildings pass by as I watch him. He has a strong jaw, and the muscles in his neck flex as he swallows and I swallow with him but my mouth feels dry. He's almost a foot taller than I am - maybe more - but his height doesn't intimidate me like others does, though I'm sure sometimes he wishes he was more intimidating. His shoulders aren't broad but I know he is strong from watching him lift and turn people while we do our job. A part of me wishes tonight wasn't my last night, much to my surprise.

Around midnight we go to answer a light. I help the older woman up and she smiles at me. After we're done in the bathroom I help her back into bed and am turning to leave when she grabs my hand and pulls me close. "Divergent." She states, as if she's addressing me. I look over my shoulder, startled and try to pull my hand away. "You're one too aren't you?" She wheezes, her hands tightening around my wrist. "I can see it in how you walk and talk. You don't belong here, girl. Just like him - he doesn't belong here, either, none of us do, but it's okay." She blinks, her eyes flashing to mine. She's serious. "I won't tell." Her eyes roll back into her head then and she begins to seize.

"Tobias?! Tobias!" I swear he had entered the room with me when I had first come in but now I don't know where he is. I yell out in surprise as her hand tightens painfully, forcing me to my knees, as she continues to shake. When I manage to free my wrist, I fall back, smacking my head hard on the bedside table. "Tobias!" Heavy footfalls enter the room but everything is fuzzy. I hear voices and see him doing something to the woman as I try to right the world but it hurts. The room goes quiet and he runs from the room. I am forgotten.

A few moments later, Tobias returns with one of the other aids and an Erudite nurse. He lifts me up by the arm pits and sets me on my feet then, but, when I look at them covering the woman and closing her eyes - like she's sleeping - the world sways and drops out from underneath me and I feel the hard planes of his chest under my cheek. He's talking, I can feel it rumble under my cheek, but I can't make sense of the words or why I'm moving until I feel bone under my knees and blush. He's carrying me. The world warps again and I groan.

I blink, feeling sluggish. The air feels warm on my face. Are we outside? There are faces, I can't tell what they're saying but I feel fingers on the back of my head. That hurts, I try to say, moving to swat at the pain but my hands wont obey and all I can do is groan.

I wake up some time later and my head is throbbing. There's a cuff on my arm that I slip off and shove away before reaching up to feel the throbbing area on my head. There's an ice pack there but when I move to take it away, a warm hand stops me. "Best leave it." A voice states. I jump and turn my head too fast, letting out a whimper as the world spins again. My father is sitting in a chair next to my bed, his face looks tired and his clothes rumpled. Why was he here? Where exactly was 'here'?

"Dad? What happened?" I ask, moving to sit up, it hurts and the world warps for a moment so I stay put.

"You hit your head at work. You'll be fine once the swelling goes down. You have a concussion." I blink, trying to remember what exactly happened. "Tobias said you were helping a dying woman when you fell?" That's right, the woman. Tears sting the corners of my eyes but I blink them away. I don't think crying right now would help anything. "I'll go tell your mother you're awake. She's been worried."

"How long have I been here?" I ask, realizing that I didn't know what time it was because my watch had been removed.

"About two days, Beatrice." Caleb. I felt like the world was splintered back together for a moment when I saw his face, standing beside my father. My family was complete for the first time since Choosing Day and, selfishly, I wished more than anything else that it would stay that way.

"Caleb." Our father pats him once on the shoulder, giving him a nod before leaving the room. If Caleb is here that means I must be in the hospital in Erudite.

Caleb sits for a few moments, looking from me to the monitor and back with a frown. "They said the woman you were taking care of was epileptic. Fascinating how the brain works, isn't it? It can fight against you with things like mental illnesses and seizures and it can fight for you by putting you to sleep for as long as your body needs to he-" I have never been more thankful for someone to interrupt Caleb as I am at that moment, even more so that it is our mother.

"Hello, Caleb." She says, a neutral smile on her face. "How has your initiation been?"

"Fine, how have you been? Beatrice?" Caleb looked between us with curious eyes.

"Aside from this one incident, we've been pretty good. Thank you for getting us in here." I look at my mother, and then Caleb in confusion.

"Wait... why did Caleb have to get you in here?" I don't quite understand the look Caleb gives me and the pain in my temples only makes it worse.

"Abnegation aren't allowed in Erudite." My mother states, moving to brush my hair back from my face. I look from her to Caleb again. His eyes are low as if he's ashamed but I still don't understand completely. "I'll let the nurse know you're awake, Beatrice, and then maybe we can go home. We don't want to bother the nurses longer than necessary." I nod, though the motion makes my head throb again.

She leaves, taking Caleb with her. After she shuts the door, I see them talking, my mother looks serious and Caleb's eyes are wide, they look like they may be arguing for a moment before Caleb nods and my mother pats his shoulder before they both leave from my line of sight.

When I am allowed to come home, I'm sent straight to bed to rest. Even though I had slept for quite some time in the hospital, I easily drift to sleep once I'm back in my own bed but it doesn't last long. I wake up in a cold sweat and look at the plain alarm clock on my bed side table. _2:00_ the red numbers glare. Heaving my tired body from the bed, I stand and pull on my robe, no one would be outside at this time of night. I slip out my window and balance on the windowsill before finding the holes in the concrete slab that make up the siding of our house. I pull myself up as I have done what feels like a billion times before. The holds are there for the men to climb when our solar panels need maintenance; in case the ladder were to fall they would have a way of climbing down. I discovered them some time ago, when I was younger, and climbed them often when my mind was troubled.

The wind whips my clothes when I make it to the roof. It is chilly, but not cold enough to make me regret coming outside. I enjoy coming up here most nights because it makes me feel strong to be able to climb the siding, to be up here away from the world for just a short time. I hate feeling weak and today is the weakest I've felt in a long time. I want to fix it, so bad, but this was the life I have picked and I don't see any way I can change it now. Clouds churn in the sky and it looks as if it will storm soon. Lightning flashes in the distance, past the fence and Amity farms, farther off than I've really considered. _What is out there?_ I ponder for a brief moment before another flash blinds me and I turn away. When I turn, however, something catches my eye, a motion on a roof top two streets over from me. I try to think of who lived in that house but come up blank. I think it's empty. I see more bodies following and I crouch down, trying to hide as they draw closer, hopping from roof to roof with no care for what they are doing.

A noise behind me startles me into turning around and I see her. She has barely missed the roof and is hanging on by her elbows and forearms, eyes wide with terror. Without thinking I move over and grab one of her arms, trying to pull her up to safety. I am too weak to do it myself but with a skid of gravel behind me someone else arrives on the roof. "Christina!" A male voice gasps and hands appear in my line of sight gripping her other arm. We pull the girl, Christina, onto the roof and I collapse next to her as she laughs. "I thought you were going to let me fall, Stiff." She teases, elbowing me.

I am not used to teasing like this so it takes me a moment to realize she's joking. They're Dauntless, seriousness isn't their strongest suit. "Well," I state turning words over in my head trying to find something witty to say. "I'd end up having to help scrape you up off the pavement and I'd rather not be subjected to that." The boy laughs and Christina looks shocked but it dissolves when she laughs as well.

"I didn't think stiffs knew what joking was, it's too selfish right?" I nod before I realize but the grin hasn't fallen from my face. I haven't smiled this much in a while.

"What were you doing jumping onto the roofs?" I ask, my curiosity getting the better of me.

"Flirting with death." The boy states before another boy, with broad shoulders and sandy blond hair, tumbles his way onto the roof. He stands, shocked for a minute, before looking back and forth between Christina and the other boy.

"Will, Christina, we're going to miss the train." The new comer says, looking back at me with a look that makes me uneasy. Christina stands and Will and I stand with her.

"Calm down Al." Christina teases. "We were just corrupting the Stiff." Will waves to me and moves to swing himself over the building's edge to find the foot holds I had used to get up to the roof in the first place.

"Are you going to jump again?" Al asks, still watching me curiously.

"I don't know." Christina moves to look over the edge, I go with her and smile seeing Will down in the alley between my house and Susan's. An overwhelming urge to prove to them that I'm not just a dumb Stiff rears it's ugly head as I watch Al hurl himself off of my roof and land on his stomach on Susan's roof. Without thinking, I take a deep breath, get a running start, and jump.

I feel an immense amount of pleasure at landing on my feet for a brief moment before collapsing to my knees on Susan's roof. Al stares at me like I have grown a second head and Christina tumbles onto the roof next to me, her eyes wide. "Not bad for a Stiff," She complements and I feel my cheeks heat up. It's rare for me to get praise anymore. "Come on, do you think you can keep up?" She asks. I don't know, but now I'm determined to. Or I'll die trying.

We jump for what feels like hours and I am out of breath when we reach the last house where the rest of the Dauntless are gathered. I have learned that Christina, Al and Will all transferred to Dauntless and were being trained for Dauntless by fighting, shooting guns and daring stunts like tonight's roof jump. I learn that one of the Dauntless leaders, Eric, isn't a very nice person especially when Al shows me a series of stitches on his upper arm from where he was stabbed with a knife during a training session recently. Christina just keeps talking whenever we hit a roof and I enjoy her constant babble but pause when we reach the roof's edge.

On the next roof over, there is a gathering of people, all dressed in Dauntless black. I would stick out like a sore thumb there so I hang back as Will and Al jump. Christina gives me a funny look. "None of the leaders are here." She tells me, offering her hand. "Just a couple of the older Dauntless members and some other initiates. Are you a mouse or a man?" She teases. I take her hand and we run and leap and land amid cheers. Those cheers die down when I am noticed. And then, when two older Dauntless step forward, I notice him, dressed all in black, and the air leaves my lungs in surprise.

 _Tobias._


	4. Chapter 4

**I** feel the breath leave my lungs in surprise. His eyes are as surprised to see me as I am him, I have never realized how expressive Tobias' eyes are, even though his voice is dark and hard. "Why, _Candor,_ Did you think bringing a stiff to this meeting would be a good idea?" I didn't like that tone of voice. I don't like this side of Tobias, I decide easily. The other, older Dauntless just watch as he verbally attacks Christina like it is nothing they haven't seen before. Who is this person? Will makes a move to defend Christina but I get to her first, stepping between them and putting my hands on his chest to push him away. My palms tingle with the heat he is radiating. He really is mad.

"I followed her." I state in my boldest voice giving him a shove. I don't remember deciding to push him but when I did, I gasped at myself. "Leave her alone." I've never stood up to someone before, of all the times I had actually wanted to stand up to people from other factions for picking on us, it was a member of my own faction I was defending someone against. Chuckles filled the air around me and I frown. Why are people laughing? Tobias gives me a strange look, not anger, and turns to walk away when his friend, an older boy with dark skin and dark hair, tugs on his arm.

"Come on Four, she's not worth it. Who knows maybe we have a future dauntless in our midst when she comes of age." They don't think I am old enough to be an initiate? Normally I would be irritated, but tonight I think I can work with this. The name the boy calls Tobias, Four, confuses me. Why are people calling him a number instead of his name? "Initiates, back to the train!" The dark skinned boy yells and it only takes that one yell to set the Dauntless into motion. Christina gives me a smile and waves before leaping onto another building and climbing her way down with the foot holds identical to the ones that make up my home.

Once the other Dauntless are gone I stand in silence. I have questions and I expect answers for them. Tobias says good bye to the other male, Zeke he was called, before turning to me. The expression on his face is a mix of confusion, fear, and anger. Setting his hands roughly on my shoulders, he turns and marches me over to the edge of the building. I fear he's going to throw me over the edge but his voice is a low growl in my ear, "Down." and I'm afraid. I turn and search his eyes once more time before I obey and climb down. Fear is a new sensation to me, different than the nightmares I had as a child, and even different from the fear of Choosing Day. This was a painful hollow feeling in my stomach - like when Caleb chose Erudite - like I was getting ready to lose the only ally I have in Abnegation that is close to my age.

I try to swallow but my mouth and throat are too dry and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth. I look up with a glare daring to be defiant against this boy - no man - in front of me. Dressed like this, all in black with a Dauntless demeanor, Tobias no longer looks like the eighteen year-old boy from Abnegation that I thought I knew. With his arms crossed over his chest, he frowns down at me. "Go home, Beatrice."

"No." My voice sounds braver than I feel, and for that I'm thankful. "I think you owe me some answers." I try to keep the brave front but my bottom lip quivers. It's cold - the wind whips through me and I shiver realizing I'm still in just my robe and pajamas, suddenly feeling self conscious.

"Well, you're not going to get any. Go Home." His voice darkens and I know he's trying to scare me.

"Why are you pretending to be Dauntless?" I ask, ignoring him. I know he probably wouldn't answer but I remembered what the old lady said almost a week ago and frowned. "Is it because you're..." I look around and Tobias' eyes furrow in suspicion and confusion.

"Because I'm what?"

"The... The lady... when she died she told me something silly and I think it's messing with me." I shake my head again but raise my eyes to his again. Curiosity definitely lingered in his eyes. I look around again, feeling paranoid. "She told me that neither you, nor I, nor she belonged here because we were..." Tori said I wasn't supposed to say anything to anyone about my inconclusive result on the aptitude test but now, more than ever, I want to know more about Tobias, this man in front of me who seems to be leading two different lives.

Taking me by the elbow, Tobias pulls me into an alley, out of the open area of the street. He leans over me, my back pressed to the wall and his palms resting on the concrete next to my head, and catches my eyes with his. "What were your test results?" he asks. My stomach drops. What if he is one of the reasons I'm not supposed to tell anyone.

"Abnegation." I state, keeping my eyes locked on his as I reply. He frowns and shakes his head before looking me over.

"I think you're lying to me" he states and I can't quite tell what the emotion in his voice is.

"Why would I lie to you?" I ask, watching him curiously - confused.

"I'm going to ask you again," His voice is darker this time and I frown, a shiver running down my spine. "What were your test results?"

"Abnegation." I state, unblinking. I see something flash across his face, irritation then concern, but it is gone as soon as it comes.

"Time to get you home." He is definitely unhappy with me. His hand is on my elbow again and he is leading me through various twists and turns. When we stop, we are at his door - not mine. I look up at him in confusion but he shoves the door open and drags me inside. His home is identical to every other home I've been in: plain furniture, plain floors and walls, plain everything. He points to the couch. "Sit. I'll be right back. You know where the bathroom is if you need it." Before thumping up the stairs. I nod and watch him go. His foot falls are heavier than mine on the stairs and I realize I'm still bare footed when a small jolt of pain seers up my heel.

When I get to the bathroom, I wash my hands and splash water on my face before smoothing back my hair and redoing my bun quickly. I pick up a wash cloth from one of the hangers in the shower and wet it, dabbing at my foot cautiously. It hurts a bit, but it's not bad enough that I can't walk. I didn't hear Tobias' steps but when I look up he's paused in the door way, shirt half buttoned, and looking at me like the sight of me confuses him. I remember thinking that I was sure Tobias was built lean and strong under his shirt and now that I can see the slight definition of the muscles in his stomach and chest my mouth goes dry at realizing I was right. I drop my eyes when I realize I'm staring, my cheeks heating as I tend to the cut on my foot.

I jump when large warm hands take the wash cloth from me. I blink up at him, startled, but he gives me what I would like to think was a smile. He sits on the floor and props my foot up on his knee before gently dabbing at the cut on my small foot. "It's not deep. If we keep it covered it should heal just fine." He has the first aid kit from under the sink open and sprays some antiseptic spray on the cut before covering it with a bandage. This change in demeanor has my head reeling in confusion. With Tobias this close I notice he has a scar that drapes from one side of his shoulder to the other and my brows furrow instantly.

"Did you get that playing Dauntless?" I ask, my voice soft as I touch the scar. At my touch he jerks back, surprised, and turns his attention to the first aid kit and cleaning up his bathroom quickly.

"Something like that." He leaves the room and I am afraid I have upset him again or reminded him that he was upset with me before we got here. He returns after a moment with my bag and I frown. Why did he have my bag? "You left this at the Elderly Home the other night..." He states and I am thankful to realize what this meant. I won't have to walk home barefooted.

"Thank you." I breathe and he nods giving me a small smile.

"Change, I'll be downstairs when you're done." He tells me before pulling the door closed. I hear his heavy foot falls on the stairs and quickly change, my cheeks hot and heart hammering in my chest.

By the time we get back to my house, the sun has started coming up and the sky is a sort of mix between orange-red and purple-blue. It's pretty and I enjoy the colors for a brief moment. That brief moment is up, however , when I notice my mother standing in the doorway with a look of worry on her face. "Beatrice." She breathes, resting her hand on her chest. "I was going to give you fifteen more minutes before telling your father you were gone."

"Mom I-" Tobias cut me off, resting his large hand between my shoulder blades as he stepped forward.

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Prior. I usually take some breakfast to a few people I know in the factionless sector, Beatrice saw me walking and offered to help." I blink up at him. He was like me, lying so easily that both of us would have failed out of Candor initiation the first day. "It was very kind of her. When we were finished I remembered I had her belongings she left at the Elderly Home when she had her trip to the hospital." My mother gave him a smile and a nod.

"I appreciate you looking after my daughter so well, Tobias. The doctor said that if you hadn't taken her to the hospital she may have never woken up." I blink from my mother to Tobias and back in confusion. Tobias had taken me to the hospital? I thought he had just called for someone else to take me. A yawn escapes me and my mother frowns. "Lets get you upstairs and back to bed young lady, you aren't supposed to be up and about just yet." I don't argue, the weight of the activity from tonight finally sinking me into exhaustion.

"Thank you for the walk, Tobias." I state softly, dipping my head to him.

"Thank you, Beatrice, for accompanying me." He nods to me and then to my mother. "Mrs. Prior. Have a lovely day." It only takes him a moment to disappear from view and when I turn to my mother she has a small knowing smile on her face. I follow my mother into the house and head back up to bed, hardly able to keep my eyes open once the adrenaline finally has worn off.

I don't know how long I slept for, but the smell of banana bread was what woke me up. My mother usually only makes banana bread once a month, when we get the shipment from Amity in so I knew that it was some time on the third Sunday of the month. Getting up, I change into a clean dress, one of my nicer ones since I know we will be going to church later in the evening, and fix my hair which has fallen from it's bun some time during my sleep. Moving downstairs quietly, I smile seeing just my mother in the kitchen. My father and Randolph must be out doing something together.

"Can I help?" I ask, moving to wash my hands in the sink. She smiles and nods giving me a bowl to stir while she wraps loaves of already made bread. On our table are nine loaves of already cooked bread of varying flavors; a tenth in the oven cooking. I wonder briefly if Tobias likes any of these kinds of bread and blush at the thought.

"Do you think Tobias likes banana bread?" My mother asks, startling me from my thoughts as if she had just read them. "Maybe you should bring a loaf to him in thanks for taking such great care of you the last two weeks and making sure you were alright when you hurt yourself." She says and I nod absentmindedly and pour the mix in my bowl into the pan for my mother to put in the oven. She hands me a wrapped loaf of banana bread and I nod.

"I'll be back soon." I state softly and my mother just smiles.

"Take your time, your father and Randolph are helping set up church. There's going to be a wedding, Makayla Smythe and Anthony Palmer are getting married." I'm a bit surprised at this news. Makayla was a year above me in school, she's only seventeen.

"Isn't she young to get married?" I ask as I pull on my shoes.

"Your father and I were married when we were 18. Age is just a number when you're in love." She whispers, a smile curling her lips as she remembers. I've been to quite a few weddings growing up, but I never really realized at what age most people got married here in Abnegation. I know we have strict beliefs of not having sex, I blush at the thought, before you're married, but I never learned about marriage customs. "As long as you're an adult, you're allowed to get married after six months of marriage counseling." My mother tells me and I smile and nod before leaving, a blush heating my cheeks.

When Tobias opens the door, he seems surprised, his hair disheveled and his shirt crooked. "Did I wake you?" I ask, blushing again. "I... Mom... Here." I offer out the loaf of banana bread to him keeping my eyes low. "It's a thank you for helping me during my first weeks of initiation and making sure I got to the hospital when I hurt myself." I tell him without looking up. He steps aside and I blink up at him in confusion.

"Thank you, Beatrice, please, come in." I nod and enter looking around in confusion. The living room is in disarray, couch cushions are in the wrong places and the table is in a different spot than it should be. He shuts the door and takes the loaf of bread from me and into his kitchen. He's quiet, his shoulders slumped. He doesn't stand as tall and proud in Abnegation gray as he does in Dauntless black and I wonder why. He cuts two pieces of the banana bread and returns to me, offering a piece. I shake my head but he frowns. "Take it, please." His voice is soft, different than I've heard him speak before and I'm concerned.

"Are you going to the wedding?" I ask, trying to fill the silence. One shoulder lifts in a shrug as he eats and now I'm even more concerned. "Tobias?" He blinks down at me like he's just seeing me for the first time and the air leaves my lungs in surprise - he looks so broken and tired. "Tobias, what's wrong?" I ask. He swallows and I touch his arm gently, taking his free hand in mine and giving it a gentle squeeze.

"I'm fine, Beatrice." He whispers and I know he's lying but I know better than to pry. "I'll come to the wedding tonight, yeah." I smile at this, at least I'll have someone there that I'd be happy to see. I eat the bread slowly, savoring the taste with a smile. After a few moments I realize, with a blush, that I'm still holding his hand. I give it a squeeze and smile before dropping it. "Thank you for the bread. Tell your mother thank you as well." He leans forward and presses his lips to my forehead but before I can react he's gone, straightening up his living room and I turn to leave feeling light and free for the first time since I was young.


	5. Chapter 5

In school I heard that weddings in other factions are joyous affairs. Candor brides dress all in white and the couple recites everything they love about the other person. Erudite is similar but they share knowledge they've found out about their partner throughout their time knowing them; good and bad. Amity couples have bright exciting weddings with lots of flowers and dancing; Dauntless couples do some daring act together. Abnegation is different, and for some reason I think ours would be the most beautiful of the faction weddings.

My father and Marcus are the leaders of our faction, so together they help lead the ceremony; The bride and groom are dressed in their Sunday best because all wedding ceremonies are performed during church on Sunday nights. The families of the bride and groom sit in the front pews as the couple stand in front of Marcus. I smile at my mother next to me and look around - Tobias said he would be here, but I haven't seen him yet. As the ceremony begins I feel someone slide into the seat next to me and look up - a knot I didn't realize was there dissolving from my chest - as his warm hand squeezes mine gently.

I give Tobias a shy smile before turning my attention back to Marcus who has the most curious look on his face, like he's upset to see Tobias sitting with us. He starts the ceremony, his voice carrying throughout the church. "We're here to witness the joining of two people into one, Makayla Smythe and Anthony Palmer. If you'll please open your bible to Ephesians 5:22 we will begin." I reach forward the same time Tobias does and our hands touch. I blush and let him pull out the bible and open it before shifting the book towards me, so we can both read the passage as Marcus reads it aloud.

"Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything." Pausing Marcus gestures to Makayla with a nod and she gently, with shaking hands, washes Anthony's hands in the bowl of water between them. Once she finishes drying his hands, Marcus resumes his reading. "Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless." At this Marcus nods to Anthony who repeats the action Makayla did for him, gently cleansing her hands before drying them as Marcus sets aside the book and my father comes forth with another basin of water.

"Anthony if you would like to begin?" Marcus suggests and Anthony nods helping Makayla sit so he can wash her feet as he recites Abnegation's manifesto. " _I will be my undoing If I become my obsession. I will forget the ones I love If I do not serve them. I will war with others If I refuse to see them. Therefore I choose to turn away from my reflection, to rely not on myself but on my brothers and sisters, to project always outward until I disappear and only God remains."_ He dries her feet carefully before smiling up at Makayla with a smile so bright I can't help but smile with him. As they switch places, I catch Marcus looking at Tobias again. I look at Tobias and see that he is pale and his eyes keep flickering from Marcus to Makayla and Anthony and back.

When Marcus starts speaking again, to pronounce the new couple husband and wife, Tobias gets up and leaves. I am startled by his sudden departure and look to my mom in surprise. She takes my hand in hers and squeezes, giving me a soft smile. When the ceremony and our usual church service is over, I look to my mother again. "Mom..." I state softly. "I'm worried about Tobias." I can't believe I admitted it to her but I have to find out what's going on. "Go," She whispers. "Make sure he's alright." I nod and leave walking quickly before breaking into a run once I'm outside.

When I knock on the door he seems startled to see me standing there. "Beatrice, what are you doing here?" He asks while pulling me inside and shutting the door. "You need to leave," I don't get the chance to explain myself before there is a loud banging on his front door. He looks at me with wide eyes and pushes me towards the stairs. "Go." He whispers before clearing his throat. "Go upstairs and wait until I tell you to come downstairs." I don't want to leave him when his face is filled with so much terror but I obey and go up the stairs.

There are voices downstairs but I can't make out what they're saying, arguing. I creep closer to the edge of the platform and hear the sound of something hitting flesh and a pained gasp, my stomach churning. I pull my shoes off and pad quietly down the stairs, I'm about four steps from the bottom when I am able to see into the living room. Both Tobias and his guest, Marcus, have their backs turned towards me. Tobias' shirt is off and the air is sharp and painful in my lungs when I inhale in surprise. Crossing his back is varying degrees of bruising and cuts; and the belt in Marcus' hand is the culprit. When I see the older man, Tobias' _father,_ swing the belt again anger bubbles up inside me and I jump the last few stairs and run at him, shoving him roughly away from Tobias. "Stop it!" My voice is loud and bold, a voice that I wasn't sure was mine. The belt connects with my cheek and I gasp but don't back down as I stand in front of Tobias, preventing Marcus from swinging at him again.

"Stay out of things you don't understand, child." Marcus sneers.

"No. If you want to get to him, you'll have to get through me." I sound braver than I feel but I can't let him hurt Tobias. Marcus swings again and I brace for an impact that never comes. Instead the belt is wrapped around Tobias' forearm and the look on his face is deadly.

"You can beat me all you want, Marcus but never, ever lay a hand on her." Suddenly Tobias is Four, the man all the Dauntless think he is. The belt is yanked from Marcus' arm and used against him, a hard blow sending the man toppling to the ground. Tobias drops the belt in surprise and takes my hand and runs.

I don't know how long we run but when he finally lets me stop we are some where in the factionless sector. "Tobias?" I ask turning to him. He's shaking from head to toe and he looks so broken standing in front of me with his arms wrapped around himself. "We have to go back." I state softly as I look around in hopes of finding something to tend to Tobias' wounds. Tobias doesn't acknowledge my voice and I move to stand in front of him. "Tobias, did you hear me?"

Tobias looks up then, as if he's surprised to see me standing in front of him with my hands on my hips. "Your face." He whispers reaching out to touch my cheek. The stinging pain that had disappeared in my adrenaline haze returns and I gasp, pulling back in surprise. "I can't believe he hit you. I can't believe you saw that. What were you thinking?" His voice turns from surprise to anger quickly and I frown, never moving my hands from my hips.

"Now you listen here Tobias Eaton, don't you dare get mad at me for trying to help. I don't care that I got hurt I just care that he stopped. And you hit him back! Maybe he will leave you alone now that you've fought back. We HAVE to go back and report this." Tobias was already shaking his head at my mention of reporting it.

"Don't you think I've tried, Beatrice?" His voice is soft, pleading. I hear the horn of the train blare from some where close by and he takes my hand again. "Come on."

He doesn't tell me where we're going but when we reach the train tracks I think I know. As the train passes, he takes a running start before throwing himself into the train car. I give all I can to keep up and grab the handhold of the door of the train car before pulling myself in with a rush of pride. He sits almost completely against one of the walls of the train car, but I know he has to be in pain. "Tobias..." I state, kneeling next to him. "Please... Tell me where we're going?" He shakes his head and pulls me down to sit next to him.

"Just sit with me for a while, Beatrice, please?" I nod and sit, our arms bumping against each other with the swaying of the train car.

A moment of realization dawns on me as I watch him. I touch the mark I had touched several days ago and stare up at him with wide eyes. "This was why you were so quiet this morning?" I ask softly. Tobias just nods and I think, trying to process everything.

I must have fallen asleep because some time later I am startled awake by shouts and two figures clamoring into the train car the same way Tobias and I did. I move to sit up, blushing at the realization that Tobias' arm was draped across my shoulder. One of the people I recognize is Zeke from that night on the roof, and the other, to my surprise, is Christina. I frown at Tobias but he just stands as carefully as he can and crosses over to Zeke. "Did you bring the stuff?" He asks and Zeke nods. "Why did you bring the girl?

"She used to be Candor. She caught me waiting for the train and knew I was lying and wouldn't let me leave without her." Zeke runs a hand over his hair with a frown. "She _knows,_ bro." Tobias and Zeke look at Christina with a frown but my attention is drawn to her instead of them.

"Hi again." Christina gives me a bright smile and sits next to me. "Beatrice, right? You know Four?" She asks and I nod even though I don't have an explanation to how I should know the man she thinks Tobias is. "Zeke told me he works at the fence but I know he is lying, he plays with his left ear lobe when he lies." Christina whispers and I giggle softly. "So you're friends with him." I don't know how to answer that question but thankfully I don't have to when I see Tobias turn to me.

Tobias' voice cuts through the darkness. " Beatrice." He holds out his hand for me and I stand, watching the other couple curiously. "We're going to have to jump." I nod, licking my lips. I already figured this out. When we get close, Zeke nods and steps up to the door before hurling himself into the darkness. I follow Tobias, nervous to be finally jumping from a train like I have imagined doing a million times while in Upper Levels. "Here we go." He states and jumps pulling me with him. I land on my feet at first but topple to the ground shortly after and laugh. That was such a rush.

I realize, after a brief moment, that we are at Navy Pier. We don't go out too far, but far enough to where there is moon light and a picnic table where we can sit. Zeke drops a backpack onto the table and Christina looks at him curiously before turning back to me. I shrug and watch as Zeke pulls out a black t-shirt and a bottle of salve. "Do you need help?" He asks but Tobias has too much pride and shakes his head, opening the jar and dipping his fingers into it to spread it across his shoulders.

I watch quietly, nodding along to Christina's chattering when appropriate, but notice Tobias is struggling. Without thinking, I move forward, taking the salve from him and smoothing it slowly and carefully across all of the dark marks and cuts forming there. Tobias doesn't argue but I feel him shudder under my finger tips and blush at how touching his bare skin makes something hot curl in my stomach. After I'm done I cover two open and bleeding spots with bandages and he pulls on a shirt, thanking me gently. My hands tingle from the warmth of his back and the closeness and calm I felt tending to him. Maybe I really am Abnegation.

Stuck in my own thoughts, I don't realize he had turned towards me until the jar of salve is taken from my hand. I jerk back in surprise when he touches me but he doesn't let me get too far, his forefinger hooking behind my ear and the rest of his hand cradling my jaw. His hands are warmer than they were before. He gently spreads the salve across my cheek. It's cold and minty feeling and makes me shiver under his hand. "Thank you." He whispers softly as he presses his forehead to mine gently. I blush as we breathe the same air for several moments before Zeke clears his throat.

"Four, they were back again today." Zeke states softly. I look from Tobias to Zeke to Christina in confusion.

"Any idea what they're doing?" Tobias asks, pulling away from me. His shoulders are square and his jaw set. He is no longer Tobias, but Four. The two stand and walk away and Christina gives me a curious look.

"Any idea what they're talking about?" I ask her after several minutes.

"Probably Erudite hunting Divergents." She stands and I stand with her. There's a swing set near by and she sits down on one of the swings and starts to swing herself a bit.

"Divergents?" The word makes my stomach plummet as I follow her. I really am in danger.

"You know, people with freaky mind powers who don't fit into just one faction?" Christina wiggles her fingers at me and I can't help but laugh at her expression. Laughter feels good, especially after the events of today. I sit down on the swing and swing with her for a few moments before a thought comes to me.

"Christina?" I ask.

"Hmm?" She is swinging higher than I am, her arms held out beside her as she swings backwards.

"You learn to fight as part of your initiation, right?"

"Yeah, why?" She leaps from her swing, body flying forward in a long arc, before she lands fully on her feet with a laugh. I'm shorter so when I try to do the same thing she does, I land about ten feet short of where she did. My knees buckle and I collapse but laugh all the same.

"Do you think you could teach me some things?" I ask when she comes over to help me up.

"I'm not really a pro at it, but I could teach you some self-defense." She nods as I brush myself off and look around. We've lost sight of Tobias and Zeke but I'm only worried for a brief moment before Christina draws my attention to her again."Here, lets start with the basics."

We work on a few different moves from different angles and I think I have it down when Tobias walks up to us again. "It's about time to go. I'm sure your parents think I've kidnapped you, Beatrice." As he's talking, I feel a pair of hands on my shoulder and I panic turning and driving my elbow, into Zeke's stomach so hard he gasps in surprise. I squeal and apologize several times before I realize he's laughing. It was a test and I passed. Pride swells in me for a few moments before we hear the train horn again. "Come on." Tobias and Christina head back to the picnic table and I follow, apologizing to Zeke again.

We catch the train, it's a bit easier for me now but Tobias seems to be in a bit of pain, a grimace set to his mouth. I reach out and touch his shoulder and all he does is smile at me. When Zeke and Christina are gone, I sit, knowing it will be a bit of a ride back to Abnegation. Tobias sits next to me and I give him a small smile, something clicking in my mind that I have been thinking about for a while. "So... This morning?" I ask softly licking my lips as I shift to face him. "This morning, when your living room was disrupted and you were so quiet..."

"Marcus paid me a visit, yes." His voice is soft, pained. I reach out and take his hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. He smiles at me and we fall into a comfortable silence.

Once we are back in Abnegation we part ways and I feel his absence like a hole in my stomach. My parents don't question where I have been, my mother most likely has already told my father I was worried about Tobias earlier, but she does fuss over my face. "I fell," I explain and my mother accepts it. I've always been a bit clumsy.


	6. Chapter 6

AN: I have had some amazing reviews the past 2 weeks I've been writing and I love you all very much for reviewing. I'm so glad so many people enjoy my story. **Liatlevy:** Your question will be addressed later on in the story and **Valexian rose:** There's been no mention that Tobias has ACTUALLY been inside the Dauntless compound, only that the initiates and some Dauntless Members know him as Four. As mentioned by Christina in chapter 5: the story Zeke is giving people is that Tobias works on the fence. Some of the back story will be revealed in this chapter and some will be answered later on.

The next morning brings the final week of Abnegation initiation, and with it, my assignment to work in the Volunteer building with my mother. I don't mind working with my mother, it's a calm, peaceful environment that keeps me relaxed and my mind mostly blank - except when I'm thinking about Tobias. I'm filing papers in one of the offices when Randolph enters. He gives me a shy smile and takes some of the papers to help with the filing. "I didn't realize you were going to be working with us." I tell him, returning my focus to my work.

"Your father suggested it," Randolph shrugged and smiled. "he said you were assigned here and it seemed like a good way to get to know you better." I feel bad for a brief moment; I hadn't really spent a whole lot of time getting to know Randolph like I should have been. I give him a smile and am about to apologize when I feel his hand on my shoulder. "We should take a walk some time; after supper maybe?" My stomach drops as I blush. He likes me? I know over the past three weeks he had been watching me a bit, but so had my mother and father. The thought of Randolph liking me feels so wrong in my head that it makes my mouth feel dry.

"Randolph, I -" My mother's voice calls me to the front desk and I do my best to give Randolph an apologetic smile, even if I'm not sorry. My mother and I haven't spoken too much this morning - I think she's suspicious of me and Tobias - but I set the papers aside and leave the office to find her.

When I enter the main lobby, I find her standing and talking quietly with Tobias. He smiles when he sees me and my mother waves me over. "Tobias has asked to have lunch with you, Beatrice."

"That's very kind. Thank you, Tobias." I smile at my mom and take Tobias' offered arm with a blush.

"You have an hour for lunch, Beatrice. Usually it's a bit later than this but I think I can make an exception - just this once." She gives me a look and I can't help but blush. I have some explaining to do when I get back.

When we're outside of the building, I look up at Tobias in surprise. "What's going on, Tobias?"

"I never got to thank you for yesterday." He states softly and leads me towards his house. "I'd like to think that lunch would be an okay thank you but I wasn't sure. Call this a leap of faith." He laughs and I can't help but laugh with him. He seems lighter, happier today.

His house isn't far from the volunteer building and only takes us a couple of minutes to get to. He opens the door and lets me enter first and I look around. His house has been rearranged a bit, not in the way it had been yesterday. Everything is in it's proper place, just in different positions so there is more space in the living room and the blinds that are pulled over the windows cause the sun to cast a reddish glow over the entirety of his living room.

"However," Tobias gave a laugh running a hand through his hair - it's longer than what the Abnegation would approve of - and I wonder if he didn't cut it when he was supposed to. "I realized while making lunch that I don't know what you like." His shoulders lift in a shrug and I blush.

"Whatever you've made is fine, Tobias." I state, giving him a smile. I'm telling the truth, just the fact that he made lunch for me sends butterflies reeling in a dizzying dance in my stomach. He moves into the kitchen and I follow smiling to myself.

In Abnegation most of our food is canned and frozen - since Amity farms are so far away - but once a month we get a shipment of fresh fruits and vegetables and meats - although chicken is usually the meat we end up with. The meat that Tobias pulls out of the oven is something I haven't seen before. It's brown and smells different than what chicken would. He sets the baking tray on top of his stove and turns off the oven before stirring a pot on the back burner. Carrots. I know what carrots are, but I'm extremely curious about the meat. "What sort of meat is that, Tobias?" I ask, moving to stand next to him, taking a chance and gently resting my hand in between his shoulder blades.

Tobias inhales sharply but relaxes almost instantly when he realizes it's me touching him. With a smile to me, he retrieves a knife from the cutting block and a fork from the drawer. Cutting a piece, he offers it to me. I look from him, his smile reaching his blue eyes, to the fork and back. He's never given me a reason not to trust him so I let him feed me the bite, blushing a bit at the intimate act.

My embarrassment is wiped away when I chew and the flavor of the meat hits my tongue. It's a thicker, warmer flavor than chicken - the texture a bit tougher but salty and sweet at the same time. I hum, closing my eyes as I finish the bite and smile up at him. "That is amazing." I laugh softly.

"Don't tell anyone, but sometimes when we meet, Zeke gives me things he says I have to try and won't take no for an answer. Pork is one of them." My curiosity spikes when he mentions Zeke and I can't help but ask the question that has been bothering me for a while.

"Who is Zeke to you?" Tobias smiles at me and gestures to the cabinet.

"Set the table? I'll explain as we eat." I nod and retrieve plates and silverware and set them out, one across from the other. He brings over the meat and pot of carrots, serving us both before helping me sit. I blush at the gesture but smile when he brings two glasses and the pitcher of water from his fridge. When he's finished pouring us each water he sits and smiles.

"Zeke and I have been best friends since Mid-Levels. I think we were in like fourth year?" His eyes are distant as he remembers. "He's Dauntless-born, but one day he got into some trouble with a couple of the older kids, I didn't think about it a whole lot except that it was my duty to help him. So I intervened. I stomped the hell out of one of the boys and the other turned and ran. From that day forward we were friends, but it wasn't the last time he got himself into trouble, either. From then, until choosing day, I saved his sorry hide at least four times." Tobias' laugh was infectious and I couldn't help laugh with him while I ate.

"That's why he calls you Four?" Tobias nods and takes a bite of food before continuing.

"We made a deal that no matter what factions we choose, we'd still be friends, and we've kept that deal. He works in the control room that watches over the entire city's surveillance. There's a camera he watches closely in the factionless sector that is our signal. If he sees me there, he knows to jump on the next train to Navy Pier."

"That's how he and Christina found us last night?" I hadn't realized I had eaten everything on my plate until I went to take another bite and he laughed, cutting and offering me another piece of meat. Taking second helpings were widely frowned upon as being self indulgent, but here in the privacy of Tobias' home, it didn't seem like a bad thing at all.

"Eat it. You could use the nutrition." Tobias states softly. "You're so small, watching you some days I'm afraid the wind will carry you away." I blush at his comment and nod, eating the other piece of meat while he tells me about the varying types of trouble he and Zeke got into growing up, and, I find myself laughing more than I have in years.

I gather our plates and silverware and take them to the sink while he puts away the remainder of the meat and carrots. "You don't have to do that, Beatrice." Tobias tells me as I turn on the hot water and start to scrub one of the plates.

"Don't be silly, Tobias. You cooked, I'll clean up." He doesn't relent though, and we end up doing the dishes together. After I hand him the last plate, I can't help but giggle gently. Tobias looks at me like I've gone crazy but I explain through giggles. "The first time we met... we ended up doing the dishes together and you yelled at me." Tobias chuckles when he remembers.

"You looked so scared in that moment." He leans forward and presses a gentle kiss to my forehead. "I'm sorry for frightening you."

"I wasn't scared of you, just your mood swings - they give me whiplash." I admit and he nods like he knows what I am talking about. Offering me the hand towel, Tobias retreats to his living room and I dry my hands before following. In the living room, he is messing with a black box with buttons on it and what looks like a data disk like the ones they keep information on at the hospital. "Tobias?"

Music starts from the black box and I admit I'm a bit startled. I haven't heard music except the few times we go to Amity, to hear it here is new but also forbidden. When Tobias takes my hand, I squeak in surprise. "Tobias, you know having music here isn't allowed. You could get into trouble." My argument dies down when I feel his hand on my waist and he's steering me back into the middle of the living room.

"Shawna, Zeke's girlfriend, has a friend who transferred to Dauntless from Amity. On one of the nights we met to hang out, I watched them dance in a stolen moment that I'm pretty sure I wasn't meant to see. I asked Shawna to teach me so I could have stolen moments like they did." Tobias twirls me effortlessly and I can't help but laugh. When I am back in his arms, he sways us from side to side along with the music in an awkward circle. "I've wondered what it would be like to dance with you since then." He admits as I rest my free hand on his shoulder, playing with the curls at the back of his neck as we sway.

"I'm glad you're not fussing too much about this, I was afraid you would be a little _stiff_. " He teases before a serious look crosses his face. "Beatrice..." I realize how close we are then - his hand is burning hot through the shirt against my lower back and we're less than six inches apart. When Tobias moves, I know he's going to close the distance between us and I close my eyes, anticipating it. I feel him move closer, so we're breathing the same air, and then there's a knock at the door. Suddenly Tobias' warmth is gone and he's turning off the music and shoving the player under the couch. I feel cold without his hands on me and his body so close and I blush when there's another knock.

It takes Tobias three strides to get to the door and yank it open. To my surprise, Randolph is standing at the door, hand poised to knock again. "I-I was..." Tobias' height obviously intimidates Randolph. "Natalie sent me to fetch Beatrice." I glance at my watch and frown, had it already been an hour?

"Right, thank you for lunch Tobias, it was lovely." I give Tobias my brightest smile as he walks me out - which he returns before he looks back to Randolph with a look I can't quite place. "I'll see you soon?" I ask, gently touching his hand.

"Sooner than you think." Tobias states, kissing my knuckles gently before retreating back into his house and shutting the door..

"I don't like him." Randolph says as we walk back to the volunteer building. "He looks at you like you're a piece of meat." I blink at Randolph and frown trying to think of any instance I have ever caught Tobias looking at me like that. I find none.

"Being judgmental is selfish, Randolph." I state softly. "If it hadn't been for Tobias I could have died when I hit my head. He's incredibly kind and helps people no one else wants to help and does a really good job of it without complaint." His comment makes me mad, but I know if it ever comes to words - or even blows, between the two of them - Tobias would win. Randolph and I resume our filing in silence.

It's my turn to make dinner on Thursday night, and as I peel potatoes, I go over my week in my head. Randolph hasn't said another word to me in the three days since he hinted that he liked me. Tobias has met me for lunch every day - bringing it to me instead of us going back to his house. I wonder if he regrets what happened Monday; I never get time to ask him in such a public place. I was moved to a separate office to help file and organize books on Tuesday and I wasn't moved from it yesterday. Today, however, I was assigned to the front desk to help manage volunteers. Many non-Abnegation would use this power to orchestrate revenge on people who have upset them, such as Randolph's behavior has me, but I am above that type of behavior so I just do as my job instructs me to and list off where each volunteer will be placed that day.

As I'm cutting potatoes, my mother comes in - earlier than expected - without my father. "We'll be setting an extra place tonight, your father told me that we will be having a guest." I cringe inwardly to myself, the only guest we ever have is Marcus and I really don't want to see him, the fading bruise on my cheek throbs at the thought. "Randolph, would you help Beatrice set the table? The guest spot can be between you and Andrew, across from Beatrice." Randolph frowns but nods and moves to gather the things needed to set the table.

I set the potatoes to boil with several other vegetables: broccoli, cauliflower, peas, and squash – and start working on making biscuits. Biscuits, like banana bread, are a rarity for me to make. We never have the means to make the fluffy bread 0 things like milk are given to families with growing children - but my father had brought home the ingredients yesterday and asked that I make them tonight so we could bring some over to the Blacks for dinner with them on Friday - which was tomorrow.

I'm kneading the dough, humming softly to myself, when I feel a hand on my waist, "Hello, Beatrice." I jump and drop the dough I was turning over, scattering flour over the both of us with a surprised squeak. I drive my elbow back, almost successfully and look up. I blink at Tobias who has both his hands blocking my elbow and a laugh on his lips. "I should have never let Christina teach you that move." He whispers in my ear before straightening up to brush flour from my cheek. Randolph comes into the kitchen, concern etched on his face.

"What's going on, Beatrice? I heard you scream." I frown at the concern in Randolph's voice. He really does like me. I shake my head.

"Tobias surprised me, that's all." I smile up at Tobias and giggle softly as I reach up, one hand on Tobias' shoulder to make him lean down, before brushing flour from his hair. I hear Randolph's footsteps retreat as I'm brushing the flour from Tobias' shirt.

"You've made me quite the mess, Beatrice." I blush at the tone of Tobias' voice, almost suggestive.

"What are you doing here, Tobias?" I ask as I brush flour off myself and move to get the broom so I can sweep the kitchen.

"Your father invited me for dinner yesterday - he didn't tell you?" I shake my head, flour fluttering from my hair like snow. "Finish your work, I'll sweep." He says with a smile, taking the broom from me to sweep up the white grains of flour from around my feet. I shake my head at him again but continue, rolling out the dough before cutting the biscuits out. Tobias washes his hands and retrieves the pan from the far counter. I hand him a biscuit as I cut it out and he puts it on the pan without a word.

I smile to myself at how easy it is to work with him making dinner. "I'll put these in." He states, softly kissing my hair as he takes the tray from me, "You go clean up - you're still covered in flour." I laugh and nod before heading to the stairs. I notice, when I reach the stairs, that my mother and father are sitting close together with their heads bowed as they talk and Randolph is nowhere to be found.

I climb the stairs and quickly change into clean clothes before returning to the kitchen. My mother is stirring the soup I am making and my father and Tobias are talking quietly in the living room when I come back down. I notice that Tobias had cleaned off the counter and put everything away while I was gone. My mother smiles at me and offers me the oven mitt. "I believe your biscuits are done, Beatrice." I smile and take the mitt from her and pull the tray from the oven. Setting it aside, I look back at my mother, who is smiling at me.

"What?" I ask, turning off the oven and the burner. I let the soup cool a bit as I carefully take the biscuits off the tray and put them on a plate before taking them to the table.

"Tobias is a nice boy," She muses. "handsome, too."

"He's very nice," I state, trying to cover my thoughts as I nod without thinking. I blush realizing I just agreed with my mother about Tobias being handsome. "Dinner is ready. Could you call everyone to the table for me?" I ask, trying to hide my red face as I bring the soup to the table. When everyone is gathered, we serve dinner and say grace before eating. I remember the first time Tobias had dinner with us, we held hands while saying grace. I blush at this thought when Tobias looks up, giving me a nervous smile.

"So..." My father speaks after several minutes, clearing his throat as I chew my food. "On Tuesday I had a young man come into my office and make me a proposal." I look up at him curiously then look to Tobias. What did he do? "Natalie and I have had an extensive discussion among ourselves and with him and have decided to allow Tobias to court Beatrice - if she'd agree to it." Several things happen in that moment that I can barely register: I take a sharp intake of breath and choke on the forgotten food in my mouth as my spoon clatters into my bowl, Tobias gives my father a surprised look, and Randolph stands so quickly his chair topples over as his fist connects with Tobias' jaw.


	7. Chapter 7

_Several things happen in that moment that I can barely register: I take a sharp intake of breath and choke on the forgotten food in my mouth as my spoon clatters into my bowl, Tobias gives my father a surprised look, and Randolph stands so quickly his chair topples over as his fist connects with Tobias' jaw._

My mother pats me hard on the back and offers me a glass of water as my father pulls Randolph away from Tobias. I've never seen my father look upset or angry before so the look on his face scares me as he tugs Randolph by his shirt collar out of the house and into the front lawn. I don't know if they leave the yard or not but I remember Tobias and gasp moving around the table to kneel by his side.

Tobias surprises me. He's sitting on the floor hand clutching his jaw but there's a smile that is as alive as the fire of laughter in his eyes. "Why didn't you fight back?" I ask softly, looking for my mother who must have gone to find my father.

"I didn't want your father to change his mind. That guy - Randolph - was a creep. I heard him talking to one of his buddies about some pretty nasty stuff and I figured I'd get him to show his real colors eventually." I nod slowly and stand, licking my lips before going to our freezer to get an ice pack.

When I return Tobias is sitting in his chair again eating his meal in silence. I smile softly and switch Randolph's bowl with mine before I sit down, offering the ice pack to him. He takes it with a grateful smile and we eat in silence. When I'm finished, I take my bowl to the sink and wash it before taking the pot of soup and putting it back on the stove to keep warm as I suspect my parents will be hungry when they get home.

"Why did you look so surprised when my father said he was going to let you court me?" I know I'm blushing by the way my face heats up but I'm able to hide it by keeping myself busy. Tobias brings me his bowl and another from the table.

"I wasn't expecting him to announce it like that over supper." He states honestly as he runs a hand over my hair before returning to the table. Tobias helps me clear the rest of the food from the table and we work in a comfortable silence until my mother and father come home.

"Randolph has been assigned to another home, they will retrieve his belongings in the morning. I'm sorry he hit you like he did, Tobias." My father touches Tobias' shoulder gently and Tobias shakes his head.

"Don't apologize for the boy, Andrew." Tobias was putting on his charm for my father. "He's got to learn to control his emotions; nothing more." He gives my father such a smile that it's infectious and my mother and father smile with him.

"Come to dinner with us to the Black's tomorrow night?" My father asks as if that makes things better.

"Actually, I have some work I have to do with the factionless tomorrow but I do appreciate the offer." My father nods, accepting Tobias' excuse. I look at him curiously. What work with the factionless? "I'll leave you to your family, Andrew. Beatrice," My eyes raise to his in surprise. "Thank you for dinner." I nod and smile.

"I'll walk you out." I state softly, smiling at my mother and father before following him to the door.

"Until tomorrow, Beatrice." Tobias states gently, reaching out to brush the fading bruise on my cheek with the back of his fingers. My skin tingles but I smile and nod gently and then he is gone.

My dreams are restless, switching from dinner to Randolph attacking Tobias in some crazy manner as Marcus had; to trains exploding in the distance and not knowing whether Tobias had been on it or not. I wake up and don't feel well rested at all. I go through the motions of getting ready for the day on autopilot and it's not until I hear the knock at the door that I am pulled from my stupor.

"Good morning, Beatrice." Tobias is smiling when I answer the door and I can't help but smile - a painful knot dissolving from inside my chest.

"Morning," I whisper, breathless as if we had just run for the train. I reach up to gently touch the purple-blue bruise on his jaw and frown.

"It only hurts a little." He admits, resting his hand over mine so I'm cupping his jaw for a moment as he speaks. "It's the last Friday of initiation; are you excited?" He shuts the door behind him and I nod. My father comes down the stairs and nods to Tobias as he fixes his own tie. Tobias drops our hands away from his face and nods to my Father.

"Good morning, Tobias."

"Good morning, Andrew. I came in hopes of walking Beatrice to work. I'm a bit nervous about her walking alone with Randolph's behavior how it was last night. I know Natalie normally walks with you to work before going her own way so I thought this would benefit us all and prevent you and Mrs. Prior from worrying about Beatrice getting to work safely." I had never realized how much of a charmer Tobias was until he talks with my father. But I should know that because, even though a bit of indignation rises in my chest at the fact that he and my father think I need protection, he has definitely charmed me.

My father nods and calls up the stairs to my mother. "Natalie, we need to leave soon." My mother comes down the stairs a few moments later and smiles at me and Tobias.

"Good morning, Tobias. I wasn't expecting to see you until lunch." My mother's eyes are expressive - like Tobias' - and she looks between us with a smile.

"I've come to walk Beatrice to work so you wouldn't have to alter your morning routine." Tobias dips his head.

"That's very kind of you, Tobias. And I see you'll be helping us with distribution to the factionless this weekend as well?" Tobias nods and my mother smiles. "Good, I knew your time at the elderly home was almost up. I was going to ask you about picking another assignment but I see you have." My mother and Tobias share a look I don't understand but Tobias looks at his watch and smiles.

"We'll leave you to get ready. Beatrice?" He offers his arm to me and I take it smiling.

"Have a good day, dad." I call before stepping out the door with Tobias. Public displays of affection are frowned upon in Abnegation but I can't help myself and - for a brief moment - I rest my cheek against Tobias' strong shoulder. He leans down to kiss the top of my head and I let myself sigh happily. When we cross the street to a busier section where there are more people, we reluctantly let go of each other and walk as is proper, I can't help but cast him a smile as he holds the door for me.

"Have a good day, Beatrice." He states softly, brushing the bruise on his cheek.

"Be safe, Tobias." I state, voice just as soft as I touch the bruise on his jaw. I smile as I walk to the office I'm helping in, the thought that we both have some evidence of how much we care for each other marked on our faces sending a thrill of pleasure to the pit of my stomach. In Dauntless, we would get tattoos, maybe, to show our bravery; but here in quiet Abnegation, our bruises – mine from taking a belt lash for him and his from being punched for asking to date me - are all I need.

I don't see Randolph at all throughout the morning, but his name is signed in when I check the volunteer rosters before signing out for lunch, so I keep my guard up as I walk to the cafeteria of our work building. I expect to see Tobias but don't see him. _Maybe he's running late,_ I muse as I get myself some food. "Beatrice?" I turn towards the voice addressing me and freeze. Randolph steps towards me and I take an automatic step back.

"Leave me alone." I state trying to move around him but he grips my arm tightly, not letting me pass him.

"Listen, Tobias isn't who you think he is. He's a faction traitor and he's going to get you killed." My eyebrows furrow as I frown at his words. I wrench my arm from his grasp and ball my hands into fists. There are people staring but I don't care at the moment.

"No, you listen. I know Tobias. He's kind and would never hurt me the way you think he would, you're just a jealous coward," My voice is low so only he can hear, "Stay away from me and my family, Tobias included, or I swear I will break your nose." Randolph steps back and pride swells in my chest. The pride is short lived, however, when I feel a warm hand rest on my shoulder.

"Is there a problem, Beatrice?" Tobias. I sigh gently, of course I'm just a little girl in need of defense. I shrug off his hand and shake my hands out of the fists they were clenched into.

"No. I have it handled. I have to get back - my break is almost over." I don't look at him or Randolph as I leave; my lunch forgotten.

I shut the door to the office harder than I intend to and cringe at the sound it makes - but can't feel sorry about it. I'm angry. I'm angry at Randolph for being such a jerk, Tobias for not thinking I can defend myself - walking to work or here at work, - and mostly at myself for looking like some small insignificant girl who can't defend herself. I scrub angry tears from my eyes as I hear the door open and pick up a couple of papers to file without looking at the intruder. I know who it is, like my body is tuned to him by some strange magic.

"Beatrice." _Tobias._ I sigh softly. Of course he came to check on me.

"I'm fully capable of taking care of myself, Tobias." I state, filing one of the papers. I open another drawer and file a folder and he doesn't say anything "The fact that you feel the need to intervene not just now but this morning really bothers me. Do you really think I'm incapable of walking to work on my own and standing up to some idiot who can't control his emotions?" I don't face him. I don't want him to see me crying. I'm not weak, I am not passive even if that's what this faction wants me to be.

"This morning... Th-" I feel his hand on my elbow, and the other on my waist turning me towards him slightly. "Will you look at me, please?" I turn slowly but don't look up at him. I stare at his chest - my line of sight only reaches that far - and sniffle as I press the heels of my hands into my eyes. He lifts my chin. "Look at me, please." I blink away the tears but look at him. "This morning, I wanted to walk with you. I _want_ to walk you to work every day that you'll let me and I _want_ you to waste a few extra minutes of your precious time on me every day. That's selfish - that want. So of course I'm not going to tell your father that." His laugh is soft but I feel it vibrate in my chest, a feeling that stops the breath in my lungs - briefly - and causes me to smile. "This was a good solution in my mind. And that with Randolph. That- I don't … What's so wrong with me wanting to defend you?"

His fingers find their way into my hair, his large palms cupping my jaw as he presses his forehead to mine. "I know you can defend yourself, I have zero doubt at all that you couldn't beat the hell out of him if you wanted - but you shouldn't have to. Maybe in Dauntless you'd have to fight to survive but not here. Here all you should have to worry about is being happy, and safe and the amazing person that you are. I'm not going to apologize for wanting to defend you, but I will apologize for upsetting you. I'm sorry." The word is soft - a barely there breath against my mouth. I sniffle gently and nod.

"You really think I could beat him?"

"Undoubtedly." I laugh against his lips and there's a soft knock on the door. "That's probably your mother." Tobias whispers, pulling away from me. He presses his lips to my forehead briefly before going to answer the door. I feel embarrassment flush my cheeks as my mother steps in smiling softly.

"Tobias, there's a young man looking for you." My mother states softly and Tobias nods his head to her in thanks.

"I'll see you after work, Beatrice." He points at the desk. "Please remember to eat." I hadn't realized he had brought my lunch for me and my cheeks heat more but I nod. After he's gone, I sit down and eat a fork full of broccoli before my mother speaks, shutting the door quietly.

"He's so good to you." My mother states - and I smile shyly at my tray. "Don't be afraid to let him in, Beatrice." She sits across from me and reaches out to touch my hand, smile on her face. "Good men like him, - like your father - only come once in a lifetime. I found your father when I was fourteen. We got married when we were eighteen and I couldn't imagine myself with a better man than him. He lit up my life in ways I didn't know I needed." Her cheeks flush as she talks and I feel shy - embarrassed - to be witnessing something so intimate as my mother's love for my father. "Watching you with Tobias, it makes my heart happy to see that you have a possibility of having that too. I was so afraid when I realized..." Her voice dies away and she looks at our hands.

"Realized what, mom?" I ask through a mouth full of chicken.

"Your divergence, Beatrice." I choke on my chicken and cough trying to clear my throat. "I saw it in you when you were young. I still do sometimes, like I do in Tobias, like your father sees in me sometimes. It makes me happy to know you have someone who can see you for who you are and love you instead of being afraid of you - of your divergence." She smiles at me and I return the smile nodding gently.

"What am I?" I ask softly, hoping to get some answers but she shakes her head.

"We can't talk about this here." She whispers and stands, patting my hand gently before moving her hand to stroke my cheek gently. "I love you, you know. I'll see you at home." I nod and stand to take my half eaten tray back to the cafeteria. I smile to myself as I dump my tray and put it away before picking up trash off of one of the tables. Discarding it on my way back to the office, I pray for an uneventful rest of my day.


	8. Chapter 8

**AN: Thank you so much to all of the reviews and my repeat lovers who comment on every chapter I post. You guys have no idea how much I enjoy writing this for you and how much your reviews make me want to write more. I'm writing as fast as I can and I have some great things in mind for this fic and I hope you all will stick with me until the end (Which is pretty far away I promise) I've had several questions about having Tobias and Beatrice kiss and I promise it's coming but it's not going to be for a while. It will be worth the wait I swear! (Just ask my lovely Beta Jackie; I text her at random times – like 4 am – with all sorts of things that I have planned for this story) I'd like to address something while I have your attention though: while most of you are encouraging and love my Tobias and Beatrice some reviewers have given me the impression that not all of you understand that this isn't ( as of right now ) a FourTris fic. Four and Tris are Dauntless. This story is about Beatrice and Tobias: two people from Abnegation who have to find their way into their Dauntless personas not by being thrust into them by trying to be Dauntless but developed over time as they try to be who their Faction wants them to be while trying to keep from getting detected and killed for being Divergent. I promise there will be more action and excitement in chapters to follow but remember : Good things come to those who wait. Also, for time line purposes I'm combining book knowledge with movie knowledge so Abnegation initiation is 30 days while Dauntless initiation will be 10 weeks.**

Dinner with the Blacks is the same as any other dinner at any other house. I help Susan make the food while our mothers knit in the living room and our fathers cut fire wood outside. Tomorrow we – My mother, father, Tobias and I – will be helping distribute supplies to the Factionless including firewood, scarves and food and I'm more excited about it than I should be. I hum to myself as I set the table and Susan smiles at me.

"I met this girl once. She was quiet and obedient until she met this boy." Susan states softly as we cut corn from the cob. "This boy caused a change in her that the whole world could see and I began to worry for her even though I know worry is selfish. I can't help it Beatrice." I blink at Susan's soft words. She doesn't look at me as she speaks but I know she's talking about me. "You need to be very careful, Beatrice." She looks over her shoulder, licking her lips before looking back to the task she was doing. "I heard someone talking and it didn't sound good. Someone wants to hurt you, and Tobias."

"Susan, I… What?" I look over my shoulder towards our mothers who are talking softly. "What are you talking about?" Our father's clamor through the door at that moment looking embarrassed for causing such a ruckus both carrying firewood over to the hearth of the Black's firewood. Susan started bringing food to the table and I follow - our conversation obviously over. We eat in silence and clean in silence and my family and I go home in silence. I bathe and dress for bed with Susan's warning still lingering in my mind and I try to dissect her words as I lay in darkness.

I have a dream that night that terrifies me. I'm in a strange room – an all-white tile room – and I'm trapped in a box, a clear box with no beginning and no end and I'm panicked I can't breathe and there's a man, the man from my aptitude test, who is shouting at me in a vicious cruel voice demanding I tell him I'm divergent. I shout, scream and bang against the glass as water fills the tank quickly. First my feet then my knees and in a matter of seconds my hips are covered in water and I'm panicking. I bang my fists on the glass until they're sore and raw and my knuckles are bleeding and I'm suffocating.

I've resigned myself to drowning when I hear it: the splintering. The glass cracks in spider webs under my hands and shatters and I fall, not onto tile but the concrete floor of my room. My mother kneels by my side eyes wide as her hands fluttered uselessly searching for some way to help.

"I'm sorry." I whisper. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry." I throw my arms around her waist and bury my face into her shoulder with a sob. "I'm sorry." I don't know what I'm sorry about but just that I am. I have this fear, this knot in my stomach and I can't stop the sobs from wracking my body. My knees and elbows ache from hitting the floor as hard as I did and I just wish I could stop crying. I feel weak and I hate the feeling. Sitting back on my knees I rub my face and fight away the tears, coughing gently as I wipe my nose on my shirt sleeve. "I… I'm going to go for a walk." I whisper and my mother nods softly.

"Take your time." My mother smooths my hair back and tucks a lock of it behind my ear. "I'll make sure your father doesn't know. Just be back in time for breakfast." She kisses my cheek and stands helping me up. I brush myself off and give her a small smile, sniffling again before moving to pull a pair of pants on under my night gown before wrapping up in my jacket and making my way down the stairs. Slipping on my shoes I head out the front door, shutting it quietly behind me before heading down the street only one destination in mind.

When the door opens I step back in surprise, throwing my hand over my mouth to stifle a scream. I'm greeted with a shiny black object pointed at me – a gun I briefly recognize it from a book I've seen before – and I stare from it to Tobias and back. I realize then that it's not Tobias I'm seeing at that moment but Four. This person in front of me is not the Tobias I know. He's too sure footed with his feet spaced shoulder width apart and his hands gripping the gun tightly. He's wild eyed with terror but he doesn't lower the gun from its position as his lips tremble with unspoken words. His eyes clear for a moment and he grabs me by the upper arm pulling me forcefully into his home before scanning the streets and shutting the door behind him.

"Beatrice, what…" He shakes his head trying to clear his mind and looks at his watch. "Its 4 am Beatrice. What the hell are you doing here?" The gun makes a click before he tucks it into the back of his pants and steps forward. I can't help but recoil and I hate myself for it but this feels like a dream, like another bad dream and at any time I fear I'm going to wake up. Tobias - he's my Tobias again I can tell because of the way his shoulders relax and the softness returns to his eyes - steps forward again holding up his hands to show me he's unarmed. "Beatrice." He reaches out to touch my face and his hands are rough but warm and smell like metal and some bitter scent I can only assume is gunpowder and I relax because underneath all of this is the distinct dark smell of Tobias.

"I-I had a bad dream. I woke up and my mother was there and I just… I felt so weak in that moment and I just. I hate that feeling!" My hands slip into my hair and I feel like a caged animal as I pull away to pace. "I felt so weak and I hate it. Why did I choose to stay here Tobias? What was I thinking choosing this? I can't do this. Being here is going to kill me. I'm going to die and there's nothing I can do about it." The words fall from my mouth and I can't stop them or the tears that fall with them.

"Why do you think you're going to die Beatrice?" He reaches for me again and this time I don't flinch away, I let his hands settle on my shoulders, let them settle my feet to the ground. I look up at him then, into his eyes and shake my head sniffling.

"You know why." I whisper, my throat is dry, but I know he understand by the way he nods before pulling me into his arms.

"I'm not going to let that happen." He states his voice rumbling under my chest and I laugh softly.

"How do you propose to stop them?" I ask and he laughs with me.

"I have a pretty good Idea, come on." He takes my hand and leads me upstairs. I blush as I stand outside his bedroom door and he enters his room to dig in his closet. He pulls out a pair of black jeans and a large hooded sweat shirt. He returns to me and offers the articles of clothing to me and I can only blink at him for a moment before I go change in the bathroom. The pants fit in the waist but are several inches too long, so much so that I have to roll them up several times to be able to put my shoes back on, and the sweater is long enough to reach my knees but it smells like Tobias and that makes me not care about the size. I return to his room and blush as I catch sight of dark gray boxers as his pants slide over his hips as he zips them before pulling a black shirt and sweater over his scarred back and shoulders. In another faction I imagine he would be considered handsome and girls would fawn over him and I wonder, briefly, what I did to deserve his attention.

Once he's dressed he shoves the gun back into the waist band of his pants and adjusts his shirt. When he turns I notice he's giving me a curious look before a crooked smile spreads across his face. "Didn't take you as _that_ curious, Beatrice." He pulls me to him and I curse having such pale skin because I can feel my cheeks heat in a blush. I stare up at him for a brief moment as my hands slide around his waist and his arm hooks around my shoulders and callused fingers find my ear and neck. In their journey my hand brushes the handle of the gun and I freeze automatically tensing and Tobias sighs but pulls away. "Come on." He states and leads me back to the door.

We shut out the lights and pull up our hoods before making a dash across the street to a dark ally. This feels dangerous, being out here in the dark with Tobias and a gun, sneaking out of his home in another faction's colors but I feel like I can breathe a bit easier when I'm with him and this was why I went to him in the first place. No matter my fear, or how brave I'm feeling, being near him makes me feel stronger and braver and more capable of doing anything than if I were alone, not because I need him to protect me, but because he'd be there to do it if I needed. His hand is warm and solid, surprising me from my thoughts as it slides into mine and I give him a small smile before he pulls me across the road. We're running, but not as quick of a run as the night we caught the train, and after a few more twists and turns I realize we're on the boarder of the Factionless sector.

"What are we doing Tobias?" I ask as we slow to a walk. He smiles at me and points to a building not far from where we are.

"Do you trust me?" He asks as he pushes open the door to the building. It's large and the top two stories are brick, so it's old, with glass raising further than I can see up into the sky from it. I nod and follow him into darkness. A flash light clicks on and I frown at Tobias. He leads me to another door that leads to a set of stairs and I frown at him. "Two flights of stairs and then I'll explain, promise." I nod gripping his arm as we descend the stairs and I feel panic bubble up in my chest.

"You know..." Tobias sounds breathless as he leaves me by the stairs. Flipping a switch light illuminates the room and he takes a deep calming breath. We're in a long room broken glass separating cubical like areas and on the wall are numbers in pealing paint "I hate small dark spaces." He states before stepping around to enter the long room that is separated by the cubicles. He drags a bench with him, an old metal thing that is riddled with bullet holes and I frown before he starts setting cans and bottles up on it.

"When I was 16, just after Zeke finished Dauntless initiation, he came out here and taught me how to shoot. He had walked in on me tending to wounds Marcus had left one night and demanded I learn how to defend myself, so he had someone help get us a gun and find us a space to practice. This used to be an actual shooting range once. People practiced with targets but we used cans just like this." He came back around to where I was standing and smiled gesturing me forward.

First he showed me what everything was on the unloaded gun before letting me hold it for a few minutes. It was heavier than I thought it would be and smelled like metal and gun powder, the scent burning my nose. Then he showed me how to load and discharge the clip. Finally he showed me how how to hold and fire it. The shot startled me and made my ears hurt but Tobias had perfect aim sending a can flying from the bench before tugging me to him. He helped me hold it, raise it and fire my first round and it surprised me how much kick back it had as I almost smacked myself in the face. "Good but remember to aim." He states low in my ear and I nod. "Do what I do: Breathe in, Aim. Breathe out, Trigger." I breathe with him and this round I was expecting. The shot hit the bench a few centimeters from the can and I grin at him. "Very good. Keep trying." I feel his eyes on me before he corrects my posture and has me drop my arms slightly.

Pride swells in my chest when I knock my first can off the bench, six rounds later, and he smiles and nods. "I'll show you how to reload in a minute let me reset the cans." I nod and smile. As scary as wielding something so deadly is, I'm enjoying myself. The shot, watching the can fly off the bench, it made me feel more powerful than I had in a while and it was all thanks to Tobias. He helps me reload the clip from a package of bullets in his pocket and lets me shoot again. My aim gets better over time and after twenty four rounds I'm hitting every three out of four cans.

"Thank you." I state softly. My ears are ringing but that was the most fun I have had in a while. He smiles back at me and tucks the gun away before shutting out the lights and heading back up the stairs, flash light leading the way.

"Thursday is the last day of initiation for you. Once you're moved into your own home, maybe I could steal you away so we could do this again some time." Tobias seems almost shy asking me but I nod and smile licking my lips as we exit the building. I'm exhausted by the time we get back to his house. I change back into my abnegation gray and offer back the clothes but Tobias shakes his head. "They're for you, you'll need them again soon, I promise." His smile makes me nervous but I nod and tuck them under my jacket before leaving him, running back to my parent's house through dark ally ways. I lock the door behind me and I smile as I tiptoe up to bed. I tuck the clothes under my mattress and easily fall asleep with my shoes still on like when I was small, exhaustion seeping into my bones as I go over my night with Tobias in my head.

My mother lets me sleep in a bit before gently waking me to help with breakfast and I smile knowing that Tobias will be joining us shortly after to help with distributing things to the factionless with us. I have 5 days until initiation day and it makes me nervous to think that in 6 days I will be considered an adult and able to make my own decisions. I figure I will spend most nights having dinner with my family, because I can't see life any other way, with Tobias joining me for breakfast or lunch on occasion too. I smile as I clean and realize I shouldn't be smiling as much as I am for someone who had a violent nightmare last night, but my visit with Tobias made me feel more alive than I have in ages.

When we arrive at the distribution center I frown realizing Tobias was no where in sight even though he was supposed to meet us. "He'll be here." my mother whispers, her hand sliding over my shoulders as she gives me a smile. I nod slowly and find my way to where my mother and I will be helping hand out clothes while my father parts from us to help cut more fire wood.

When I finally see Tobias his shoulders are hunched and it looks like it pains him to be carrying the firewood in his arms and I frown. He doesn't look at me, at all, the entire time we're volunteering and I mull over what is going on. I catch a glimpse of bruising and frown gathering up several bundles of clothing and shoving them into my bag. "Mom." My eyes never leave Tobias as I address my mother. "I'm going to take a walk and see if there are any Factionless lingering." I state softly. Her eyes follow mine and she nods patting my arm gently.

"Take all the time you need, Beatrice." She states softly giving me an extra bottle of water. I give her a grateful smile before tucking it into my bag and moving away from our booth. Running is frowned upon as self indulgent but I don't care as I run to catch up with Tobias. When I touch his shoulder he jerks away from me dropping a couple blocks of wood before realizing who I am.

"Tobias?" I ask, eyes searching his before moving to pick up the dropped wood. I don't hand it back to him, but carry it myself. He frowns at me and shakes his head a couple of times before looking down at me.

"Sorry I was late." Tobias said giving me a small smile. "I don't suppose if I tell you I can carry it you'd give me the wood back?" I am shaking my head before he can finish his sentence. "I didn't think so, but I don't need the help, Beatrice, honest."

"I saw the bruises, did Marcus pay you a visit again?" I ask my voice soft. Tobias shakes his head looking around before offering two blocks of wood to a factionless man. He's already holding a bundle of clothing so I don't offer him a set from my bag.

"No. Had a run in with some Dauntless soldiers that aren't friends of mine." He sighs and rolls his shoulder gently. "One got a couple good hits before I incapacitated him." I hand a bundle of clothing to a woman with two small children before turning my attention back to him. "There were four of them, and of course four on one is fair by Dauntless standards I guess. I made it out alive with only a few bruises, but I'm not sure if one of them will walk again." I look at him curiously as he offers a couple hunks of wood to a group of factionless. "I may have shot two of them." he whispered softly. "I don't know where exactly I shot them, I wasn't completely looking, but the others ran off and I was able to get away so I call that a win." He gives me a tired smile and gives out the last of his wood before taking what I'm carrying so I can distribute the last of the clothing in my bag to a group of women we pass.

"Did you bring the salve? I-I could..." I remember the first time I helped him apply salve to bruises. I hadn't asked, just done it because he was struggling but now I just didn't want him in pain. If he was in pain then I am in pain and that makes me unhappy. We step off the path onto a side street and he pulls the jar from his pocket. I trade it for the extra bottle of water my mother gave me and wait for him to pull his shirt up and over his head. Touching Tobias is like touching fire, even with the cool salve my fingers ignite with each stroke of skin on skin and tingle as I gently kneed and probe the bruised flesh. Starting from the bottom of his rib cage I run my fingers up his spine, up his shoulder, and down the back of his arm searching for anything misplaced. "N-Nothing feels out of place." I whisper softly before smoothing my palm over the skin one more time. "Better?" I ask as he pulls his shirt back into place and turns to face me. He takes the salve from me, pocketing it, and I blush as he wipes my palm on his wood and ash covered shirt, making sure that each one of my fingers is clean before he kisses my knuckles gently.

"Thank you." He breathes against my skin.

"For what?" I ask shyly. "Seeing you in pain hurts me too, Tobias." I whisper feeling the blush creep up my cheeks.

"Asking for help... I don't know if it will ever stop feeling like a weakness to me, but you're so..." He seems to be having a hard time finding the words, his hands slipping up my arms to rest on my shoulders. "You just know the right thing to say and just know when I need your help with out making me feel weak." I smile at him, moving my hands to his hips. I don't remember thinking about doing that but now that they're there I don't see an immediate need to move away. I hug myself to his chest and feel one of his hands slide down my back and the other cradle the back of my head.

"You're not weak, Tobias. But some times even the strongest of people need a little help." I whisper, smiling up at him. "We help the ones we care about with out thinking and I care about you." His lips find my forehead and he smiles before leaning down to kiss my cheek.

"Thank you." he whispers against my skin again and I smile when he presses his forehead to mine again. "My life would be so dull and muddy with out you. Being with you is like... It's like waking up from some bad dream." I feel his smile against my skin. If this was what my life is going to be like, having stolen moments of selfishness while being able to still help others and keep myself, and Tobias, safe I definitely wasn't going to complain. Tobias clears his throat then, kissing my forehead once more before stepping back and offering a hand to me. "We better get back before someone comes looking for us."


	9. Chapter 9

Sundays are uneventful in my mind: we go about our normal tasks for the morning, return to the distribution center and hand out more clothing and food to factionless people and return home, same as Saturday, except it's a church night which means Tobias is joining us for supper and walking to the worship service with us. As he and my father prepare dinner there is a knock at the door, I'm closer so I set aside the blanket I'm knitting and get up to open it and freeze. Marcus Eaton stands on the other side of the door; he looks tired but I don't care about anything but the hate I feel for him which makes me feel a bit guilty. "Hello Beatrice, I need to speak with your father."

"Of course, come in Mr. Eaton." My palms are sweaty and I wipe them on my slacks after I shut the door. I move to get my dad when I hear bowls clatter to the floor. Looking from the scattered bowls to Tobias, I frown, he has gone white at the sight of his father. Quickly, I move to pick up the bowls before resting my hand on his arm. "Tobias, your father needs to speak with mine, I'll help you finish dinner while they talk." I don't miss the look of surprise Marcus gives Tobias at being here, but I'm not surprised. Gossip is frowned upon in Abnegation, Tobias and I dating probably hasn't reached Marcus yet since neither of us have spent time in the main Abnegation government building together and I know my father isn't one to talk. Tobias looks from me to Marcus and back before nodding, resting his hand on my lower back for a brief moment in thanks before following me back into the kitchen.

"Beatrice, will you set another place for Marcus, please?" My father calls after us and I can only nod.

"Any idea why he's here?" I ask softly as I wash the bowls Tobias dropped while he stirs the soup he and my father were making.

"I heard something about a few faction ambassadors catching some illness when in Erudite; maybe they're trying to find replacements?" I look at Tobias curiously as I dry the bowls but before I can ask he is taking the bowls from me to set the table with and I follow, collecting silverware to distribute with his bowls. As he brings the soup to the table, I cut some bread before calling that supper is finished.

Tonight I trade places with Tobias and sit between him and Marcus, leaving Tobias between my mother and I and Marcus next to my father. My mother raises her eyebrow at me - usually Tobias sits in Caleb's old spot across from her - between me and my father - but I press my finger to my lips in hopes she wouldn't say anything. We pass the serving bowl and bread around before my father says grace and we start eating.

"What was so important that it couldn't be discussed tomorrow, Marcus?" My father asks and I keep my eyes low, pretending to not listen.

Marcus looks uncomfortable and I can feel his eyes on me before they drift away, "Two of our members have disappeared, and two assistants have elected not to renew their volunteer time with the Ambassadorship." I blink up at him but he turns to address my mother. "Natalie, do you know of any volunteers who would be willing to enter the varying faction compounds with one of Ambassadors?"

"Well, we already have someone lined up to train under Andrew, we could speed up his training a bit in time for the next meeting, and I'm sure I could gather a couple more volunteers to pick up the extra positions." I wait for my mother to stop speaking before I look up at her.

"Could I do it? I already know how the office works," I have visited my father's place of work several times growing up between school trips and being sick and unable to stay alone... "and I'm young, so I can connect with the younger age groups - no offense dad - to encourage them to help come up with things that could help us all and encourage faction coopera-..." My voice dies away at the look on Marcus' face and I turn my attention back to my mother.

"I think it's a fantastic idea." My father states and I give him a small smile before feeling Tobias' hand rest on my knee and give it a squeeze. "Should I talk with our other Ambassadors and see who wants to take her on?" My father looks to Tobias and Marcus then to my mother again.

"I'll take her on, Andrew." Tobias states softly and I blink up at him in surprise. "After my training is finished I'll take her on. I know it's selfish and I'll ask you to forgive me for it, but I still worry about Beatrice' safety with Randolph lurking around." My father nods and I lick my lips in confusion but nod.

"I understand your worry, Tobias. Safety is my number one priority. We'll have her train under Marcus with another volunteer until you're ready for the position and then switch her to assist you when you both are ready. I trust this won't be a conflict of interest?"

"No sir." Tobias and I state together and I can't help but give Tobias a small smile. He squeezes my knee once more before moving his hand so he can resume eating. I listen as my father and Marcus talk with my mother about getting more volunteers and finish my meal sooner than anyone else. I get up and take the pot of soup back to the kitchen to put it away. I feel a hand on my lower back and jump but I know it's Tobias. I sigh softly and he goes to wash our bowls.

"When were you going to tell me you were training to be an Ambassador?" I ask, keeping my voice soft so our parents can't hear.

"Once I knew for sure whether this would work out or not." He states before moving back to the kitchen. I move to the sink to rinse the bowls he had just washed and feel him return to my side to scrub the plate and other bowls he had collected. "I just wanted to be sure this was a good idea first." He adds.

"I don't like not knowing things, Tobias." I admit with a soft sigh. His hand slides across my shoulder and he kisses my temple.

"I'm sorry." He whispers against my hair and I nod gently. I feel like he's always apologizing to me. "I think we should work on your aim and maybe I can teach you how to throw a knife? That way I know that when you're with Marcus you'll have a way of defending yourself." He looks over his shoulder before smiling and shoving his hands into the soapy water to wash more dishes and silverware.

"I'm alright with that." I reply as I put away the dry dishes and watch him rinse the ones he had just scrubbed. "Are you going to give me a gun?" I ask and his eyes turn on me.

"No that would be too hard for you to smuggle into the other factions and too hard for you to get if you run into trouble. I think I can convince Zeke to smuggle me a knife - you can keep it in your boot." I nod, licking my lips as I listen to him talk. The fact that he wants me to be able to defend myself makes me nervous - like the world isn't as peaceful like we are lead to believe here in Abnegation.

Marcus and my father leave shortly after to help prepare for church and I go upstairs to wash up as Tobias sits in the living room with my mother. I don't linger in the shower like I usually do - instead, I'm in and out and drying off my hair when I pass the stairs and hear my mother's voice. " I appreciate what you're doing for her, you know?"

"I'm just trying to keep her safe. She's stubborn so I figure telling her 'no' will get us nowhere so I think the best I can do is prepare her. I hate keeping things from her but I know I can't say anything until we know for sure what's going to happen." I frown and creep closer to the edge of the stairs.

"We'll tell her when we know it's safe. Our Divergence is a threat to so many people but what Jeanine has been doing needs to stop." My mother is Divergent?

"That's why I'm doing this. I just want us all safe." There's a shuffling of chairs and I move to avoid being seen. "Would you like some water?" My mother asks and I know the conversation is over. I continue to my room to dress for church and pin my hair back in a knot.

When I return, Tobias smiles and my mother pins back a lock of hair that has fallen into my face before smiling as well. "Are we ready to go?" She asks and I nod following her and Tobias out. The walk is quiet with just the three of us and when we're about a block away from the government building I smell the smoke before I see it.

"Tobias," My mother whispers, looking up at him with wide eyes. "It's coming from near the volunteer building." My head snaps towards where she's speaking about and I frown in confusion before it registers.

"You live near the volunteer building." I whisper. Tobias frowns and licks his lips

"I'll meet you at church, I'm going to see what's going on."

"I'll go-"

"Beatrice, maybe we should go tell the others at church what's going on?" My mother suggests, catching my arm before I can follow. I frown and watch as Tobias runs through the alley between houses. And disappears on the next street over.

It's hard to sit through a church service lead by one of the female leaders when my father, several council members and other men from our faction are not there. My knee twitches anxiously and I can't stop looking over my shoulder in hopes that someone – anyone – will walk through the door. We go through the entire hour long service with no knowledge of what is going on and I'm torn between terror that something went wrong and anger that Tobias went without me and my mother wouldn't let me follow.

The door finally opens once the service is finished and we're stacking chairs and sweeping. My father, Marcus, and several others enter looking tired but I see no sign of Tobias and worry swells in my chest. My mother gives my father a smile and sits with him, slipping her hand in his in a serene and quiet moment before the questions start.

"Everyone is safe, there were no casualties. It seems someone set three residences on fire, starting in a bedroom of each house and working their way downward and out the door. One of our own is being treated at the clinic for smoke inhalation and another for burns to her hands and face. Tobias was selfless and didn't hesitate before leaping through the flames into one of the buildings to save a young woman who had been sleeping when the fires started. Both should be home within the next few days but, since Erudite has decided to no longer allow Abnegation members into their sector, only the parents of the young woman will be allowed to visit since she is still a dependent." I frown and bite my bottom lip, I can't visit Tobias but maybe someone else can.

"I'll be back in a bit. I'm going to find out if any of my clothes will fit the girl." I tell my mother who nods. I leave the building and rush - not to my home - but to Tobias'. The fires are out but I see what my father didn't tell me. Tobias' house was one of the ones that had been targeted. I step into the open doorway - there is no door left - and enter the house. I know it's not safe but I have to see if there's anything left of Tobias'. The stairs are gone, so I go back outside and find the foot holds that are etched into the concrete face of the house - the same as mine - and pull myself up until I can enter one of the upper story windows.

Once in the guest bedroom, I frown as I look around. The entire interior is charred and my feet kick up ash as I walk and I am glad that our floors are made of concrete with a wood overlay because I know I can safely walk without falling through. I enter Tobias' room and sigh softly. This was the room that had the most damage. I run my hands through my hair before I see it, a blackened metal box. I go over and pick it up before undoing the latch and opening it. Inside is Tobias' gun and bullets. I close the box and return to the second bedroom.

Climbing down the side of the house one handed is difficult but I manage and I check that I haven't been seen before making a run for my house. I grab my bag and gather up some of my father's clothes - they may be too big but at least he'll have something that hasn't been burned to wear when he comes home – before shoving them and the black hoodie from my closet into my bag. I don't load the gun but I tuck it into the waistband of my pants as Tobias had done before and pocket the clip of bullets for protection. I hide the case in the top of my closet and leave my room, headed for the camera I remember Tobias pointing out to me when we had gone through the factionless sector to shoot his gun.

Once I'm far enough outside of the Abnegation sector, I pull the black hoodie from my bag and pull it on - hood up - before lifting my chin - trying to add some confidence to my walk. Factionless wear a mix of faction clothing so I know I am less likely to be bothered wearing Dauntless black and Abnegation gray as I head to the camera. Once I find the location I smile and pace three times, making sure not to be seen before pulling the hood down and looking directly at the camera. I stand there for several minutes, hoping that was enough, before turning to run for the train tracks so I could catch the train when it appears at half past seven.

I wait for the third to last car and jump in, smiling at myself at the fact that I didn't feel breathless before settling myself down for the ride to Dauntless. At 8:05, two figures jump their way onto the same car as me. I had dozed off at some point and the noise startles me enough that I pull the gun – unloaded – from my waistband and aim at them before realizing it's Zeke and someone else that wasn't Christina. I put the gun back and stand.

"Beatrice?" Zeke blinks around the car before looking at me again in confusion. "Where's Four?"

"He's at the hospital in Erudite. Smoke inhalation. I'm worried, Zeke." I admit out loud. "Yesterday he was attacked and beaten by some rogue Dauntless he didn't know and today he was targeted by someone and his house was burned." I offer the clothes from my bag to Zeke. "Could you get these to him? Abnegation are no longer allowed into Erudite." Zeke nods without question.

"I heard a rumor that Erudite is calling for an upheaval of the counsel, they want to be the ones in charge." The girl next to Zeke states softly. "I'm Shauna, by the way." She offers me her hand and I frown but take it and give it a quick shake. "I forget stiffs don't shake hands." She frowns at me and I nod before turning my attention back to Zeke.

"You need to be really careful about what you do for a while, Beatrice. I think I may bring two of the initiates to the boarder of Abnegation with me on Saturday to retrieve you and Four if things are really getting as bad as it seems." I blink at him but nod and he smiles. "I'll talk to Four, lets meet back here on Friday night? If Four is home you can bring him with if he's up to it." I nod and stand, seeing the Abnegation sector coming up.

"I'll see you Friday." He nods and moves to walk away. "-and Zeke?" He turns his attention back to me. "Thanks for being a great friend to Four. He doesn't have a lot of them." I give him a smile before I jump from the train, tumbling to my knees as the train speeds off. I dust away the grass on my knees and head home, still worrying about Tobias but smiling softly at the knowledge that we have some members of Dauntless on our side if we need them to be.


	10. Chapter 10

AN: I'm sorry it took so long to get this chapter out. Between working 2 jobs and dance I've had zero time to myself including only getting about 4 hours per night every night for the last 2 weeks. It's basically just a time passage filler with a very small bit of drama thrown in. I have fun things planned for the next few chapters including a possible game of Candor or Dauntless ;) Remember to keep reviewing! It keeps writer and Beta happy!

I never realized how much I had adjusted my life to Tobias' presence in the five short weeks that I have known him until I spent three days without him. On Monday I walk with my mother to drop my father off at the government building and turn to leave with her when my father catches my arm. "Beatrice?" He asks and I blink at him before remembering that I'm supposed to be training under Marcus today.

"I... With what happened with Tobias I had forgotten, I'm sorry." I state softly, dipping my head before touching my mother's arm gently. "Are you alright walking by yourself?"

"I've been walking by myself for years, Beatrice. I promise I'll be fine." My mother smiles and pats my arm before giving my father's hand a gentle squeeze. We watch her leave before my father leads me into the building.

"You'll basically be doing what you were doing at the volunteer building: scheduling meetings, filing paperwork and taking phone calls." He shows me around for a few moments before showing me to Marcus' office. "You will also be traveling to the other Factions with him to take notes." I nod and keep my thoughts to myself. I didn't like the fact that I was working under the man that left so many marks on Tobias' life, but after Tobias was done training, I would be working under him instead of Marcus - if I could hold my tongue long enough to be sure I got there.

I sit at the desk shown to me and look over the schedule of what Marcus needs to do today. Marcus walks in with a dark-haired girl a few years older than me and sets a new schedule in front of me before turning to the other girl. "Beatrice, this is Alyssa, she will be showing you how we do things around here. I'm a very busy man and I don't have time to babysit." Alyssa frowns at Marcus but smiles when she sits down next to me. We spend most of the day going through where everything goes and how the systems and practices of the office work. I learn that Alyssa is Tobias' age and an Amity transfer who works under my father as his assistant. She could be pretty if she wasn't in Abnegation but she is engaged to a man she has known since they were in lower levels and I smile softly to myself. Maybe if Tobias and I had met when we were younger we would be engaged. I blush a bit at the thought and shake my head. That's a silly thought when we have only known each other for a short while. I return home trying to remember everything that was told to me and help cook and serve dinner and knit a bit before retiring to bed early.

The next day I spend mostly learning Marcus' schedule and making copies of papers. My father and I have lunch with my mother in the park halfway between our two places of work. The sun is warm and I wish I could feel it on my skin instead of sweltering in two layers of shirts but I remain quiet as my parents talk. My mother turns and says something and I don't realize she's speaking to me until she touches my arm and states it again. "One of the volunteers from the clinic heard that Tobias should be able to come home tomorrow. He didn't sustain a lot of exterior damage but she said the doctor was a bit concerned about the cough he had." I smile a bit at this, walking to work without Tobias was a quiet walk and it made me feel lonesome, missing the only true friend I had here in Abnegation.

I haven't heard anything about Randolph since our last encounter at the volunteer building until we have dinner with the Black's later that night. Randolph is there, helping Susan make bread, when my mother and I enter with our own cooked dish. "Beatrice, it's so nice to see you!" Susan exclaims as we set the table.

"Why is Randolph here?" I ask softly and look up enough to see Susan's cheeks flush red.

"He told me he liked me a few days ago and my father invited him to dinner tonight. I know he punched Tobias and I hate that he did that but he seems so kind when it's just the two of us." Susan whispers, smiling over her shoulder at him. While I was glad that Susan was no longer in mourning over losing Robert and Caleb on the same day, the cautious part of me wished her happiness was for some reason other than Randolph's sudden intrusion into her life. I lick my lips and nod, making a note to say something to Tobias about it the next time I see him. Dinner, as usual, is a quiet affair - Susan and I talk quietly to each other about our jobs while our fathers talk politics and our mothers talk about the Initiation Ceremony to be held on Thursday, just two days away.

Today Alyssa is waiting for me when I get to the office."Good morning, Beatrice." I nod in response. Last night I didn't sleep well - today is the day Tobias is being discharged – so I wasn't feeling up to idle, polite chatter today. "Today we have a meeting with the Erudite ambassadors. They won't let us into their sector so we will be using a meeting room at the hospital. We'll break for lunch when the ambassadors do and we'll have about an hour to eat and set up for the next part of the meeting." I nod as Alyssa stands. "We should get you a notebook and an assistant pass so they don't think you're just lurking." I stand and follow her out the door and into a larger office. Alyssa talks with a dark haired male for a few moments before coming back with a bag and a bar-coded lanyard both labeled 'Abnegation Assistant Ambassador.' I take both from her and nod, licking my lips as I drape the lanyard around my neck.

"Alyssa, we're ready to leave." My father smiles at me and Alyssa nods and gestures for me to follow her. I slip the bag over my shoulder and follow her and my father to where we will catch the bus that takes us to the hospital on the outskirts of Erudite.

The bus is mostly full and I cling to the rail next to my father, his arm is across my shoulders as he holds onto the rail, helping me stay in place, as the bus jostles us from side to side on the rough road of the Abnegation and factionless sectors. We file off when we arrive at the stop across from the hospital and I wonder, vaguely, if Tobias has already made it home.

The first part of the meeting is long and boring. The ambassadors talk mostly about a new development for Amity to help produce more crops to be able to support our growing population and new transportation methods. The request to have Dauntless soldiers policing the trains and railways is suggested by Erudite but shot down fairly quickly by the rest of the council. When we break for lunch, I realize why my father seems so worn down after work; these meetings are exhausting.

I turn to my father and give him a small smile. "I think I may see if Tobias would like for me to make him dinner tonight. I know he'll probably still need rest and - even though the hospital is the best - I bet he could really use a good home cooked meal, if it's alright that I miss dinner with you and mom tonight." My father nods, giving my shoulder a squeeze as we exit the meeting room.

"That sounds like a very nice idea, Beatrice, I'm sure the good food and good company will help with his recovery." Marcus looks at us curiously.

"I'm sure he'd appreciate a good meal, why not let me do it for you, Beatrice?" Marcus asks and I frown and shake my head, my lower lip finding its way between my teeth.

"I'm sure Tobias would love to see you, Marcus, but usually Tobias comes to see Beatrice and have dinner with us on Sundays and Wednesdays. As today is Wednesday, I'm sure they'd like to spend time together." I give my father a greatful smile and move ahead with Alyssa, keeping an ear on what my father and Marcus are saying.

"Are you sure it's wise to let him be alone with her, Andrew?"

"Why is it any concern of yours, Marcus? Tobias is an adult and came to me first before mentioning anything to Beatrice and she, Beatrice, will be a contributing member of society tomorrow night after the ceremony. It's her wish and I have no right, nor want, to deny it when I have raised her well enough to know her own mind. Tobias is a wonderful young man and has been nothing but kind to my daughter and our family. Do you have a problem with them dating?" My father asks, I turn to see Marcus' reaction.

"No..." Marcus is a bit pale but his cheeks are flushed as if he had been running. "Of course not. I'm merely concerned about your daughter's welfare and the fact that there's an age gap between them."

Behind me, a chuckle startles me and I turn and walk into someone. I apologize profusely before a voice, his voice, rumbles through my shoulder and chest and I can't help but smile as I'm righted. "Yes father," the word is spat like venom and only I seem to be able to notice, "that whopping two year gap is insurmountable, isn't it?" Tobias asks and I can't keep the silly smile from my face. Zeke had visited Tobias as I had suggested; Tobias wears the clothes I had sent the other night on the train with Zeke. The pant legs are cuffed because my father is a few inches taller than him and the shirt a bit small across the shoulders but Tobias seems to be in good spirits.

"Son," Marcus starts but Tobias ignores him, favoring his attention towards me and my father instead.

"I'm sorry to have worried you, Beatrice." He coughs then, for the first time, and it is a loud hoarse bark that makes me jump. "Making dinner for me is very kind. I'll stop and get some things for food on my way home." Tobias smooths my hair from my face in an innocent gesture before turning to Alyssa. "Alyssa, I hope you won't mind too much if I take Beatrice for lunch?" Alyssa gives Tobias a small smile and shakes her head. Tobias smiles and turns his attention to my father. "Andrew, do you mind?"

"Not at all, son. Are you headed home afterwards or were you planning to stay for the rest of the meeting?" My father is exceptionally kind most days and I am thankful he asks the question I'm afraid is to selfish of myself to ask.

"I have strict orders to not return to work until next Monday, they want me to rest, but I figure taking up a half an hour of Beatrice's time to eat wouldn't do too much harm. I have faith she'll keep me in line." He gives me a lopsided smile before offering my father a nod. I thank Alyssa softly before I follow Tobias a few steps ahead of our little group.

"I'm happy you're alright." I whisper softly over my fruit salad. My stomach wasn't agreeing with me - between the anxiety I was having over being in Erudite with Marcus and my father and worry over how Tobias was really doing - I just wasn't really hungry.

"I'm sorry I ran off like that. I imagine you must be upset with me for making you stay." Tobias looks shy and I smile and touch his hand gently.

"I'm just happy you're alright." I state again and he gives me a soft smile.

"You're the only one who cares about my well-being, you know?" I laugh at his comment and shake my head because I know it's not true.

"Zeke cares. If it wasn't for him you'd be walking out of here in charred clothing." Tobias shakes his head this time.

"No, that's thanks to you and your kindness." He stands then, and I notice we have finished the fruit. Throwing away my trash, I follow Tobias from the room. "I was talking with him, apparently Dauntless leaders are watching some of the initiates - including Christina and Zeke's brother Uriah. Apparently the hunt for Divergent has migrated into Dauntless." I frown at this and look over my shoulder as Tobias pauses to cough again. I wasn't sure where we are going but I know that I trust Tobias implicitly.

"Why are they hunting Divergent?" I ask quietly. Tobias starts testing doors until he finds one unlocked and pulls me into it, looking both ways before shutting and locking the door behind him.

"Our minds don't work the same as others. We can't completely conform to what the system wants us to be, why do you think we're both so drawn to Dauntless? They can't control us and that makes us a threat." Tobias' voice is soft and that makes me nervous. When he drops to one knee my mouth goes dry. I know I had thought about this and as he's reaching into his back pocket I try to swallow, stepping back out of reach of him in surprise.

"Tobias, I..." Tobias blinks up at me as I speak and laughs gently.

"Come here, Beatrice, I know you're nervous but I can't stand to think you aren't protected while you're here." He pulls a sheathed knife from his pocket and I laugh softly at myself. My heart thuds in my chest as Tobias pulls up my skirt high enough to tuck the knife into my boot and lace the belt of the holder around my calf. "If someone tries to attack you, just reach down and stab whatever you can reach. I'll teach you how to throw it tonight."

He coughs again and my chest aches as if I had been the one coughing. I reach for him, gently resting my hand atop the one he has clutched to his chest, and offer him a smile. It feels dangerous to be touching him here - we are supposed to be the shining examples of proper Abnegation upbringing – almost as much as having a weapon on me when I'm in neutral territory. With the knife tucked most of the way in my boot, I'm hoping it will be undetected.

As we walk to the dining hall, I try to get used to walking as if I didn't have a banned object in my boot and I'm positive I'm convincing when we go through the motions of setting up for the next part of the meeting. "What did you tell Zeke about Saturday?" I ask, softly licking my lips before taking a sip of the bottle of water I had brought with me.

"We'll still go, if you'd like." I frown when he starts coughing again - more of a fit than last time - and I rush over to help him sit in one of the chairs. He claws at his pocket and I fish into it for him, grabbing the gray container that I retrieve from it. Tobias clicks it once before holding it to his mouth, pressing and breathing deeply as he tries to stop the coughing.

"Maybe we'll walk?" I suggest with a shy smile and Tobias smiles weakly at me once he's regained his breath.

"Maybe we'll walk." He whispers hoarsely as Alyssa enters the room. "I'll see you tonight, Beatrice." He whispers and I nod following him out to make sure he gets on the bus alright. It's going to be a long rest of the day with me worrying about him even more now.


	11. Chapter 11

After work I go home and clean myself up a bit - changing into my nicer church clothes - before going to see Tobias. He has been moved to a house closer to us - just a street over - and the walk is quick. I knock on Tobias' door once, twice, three times and when he doesn't answer I am concerned. "Tobias?" I ask as I push open the door and enter. I see fresh vegetables sitting next to the sink, already rinsed, and a loaf of bread still wrapped on the table. The living room is pristine with no signs of any upset and Tobias' jacket is in the closet. Going up the stairs slowly, I cautiously peek into the empty extra bedroom before moving on to the next room which I assume to be Tobias'. I knock softly before pushing the door open carefully.

Tobias looks so much younger when he sleeps. He's sprawled out across his bed, head barely off the pillow and blanket slung low across his bare back. I take in the various crisscrossing scars and fading bruises across his back. I wonder if any still pain him and sigh softly. I sniffle at the thought of the small child Tobias had to have been to sustain some of the barely visible marks on his skin that my fingers still remember from the last time I helped him with the salve. I back away, not wanting to wake him, and head back down stairs to figure out what he wants for dinner.

Once in the kitchen I look in the refrigerator and find some meat that wasn't chicken. I remember we had eaten pork before, but this was a different darker meat and I leave it as I try to think of how I will cook it. I find a recipe book - in the cupboard I thought large serving bowls would be - and stand on my toes to reach for it. A large hand reaches up, pulling the book down with a loud thud onto the counter and I jump. "I thought you were a-" My voice dies away when I turn and see Marcus standing beside me.

I back away from him, holding the book to my chest. "Now, why don't you tell me exactly why you're trying to corrupt my son?" Marcus asks and I blink at him wide-eyed.

"I'm not corrupting him." I state, raising my chin. I'm not afraid of what Marcus will do to me, but I am afraid of what he will do to Tobias. Beating his own child was surprising enough for me, but if he knew Tobias had been talking with other factions and having visitors then he would surely turn Tobias in as a faction traitor. "I'm just trying to help my boyfriend recover." I meet Marcus' eyes, a sign of defiance, and he frowns at me. "You, however, have tried your best to corrupt him and you just hate that now that I'm here he's stopped taking your abuse. Are you really that afraid of a little girl, Marcus?" I know pushing him is a bad idea, but I can't stop my voice from erupting from my mouth.

"You insubordinate little pest." Marcus goes to make a move for me but when I step back I pull the knife from my boot. "A knife like that isn't a toy, little girl." Marcus' voice is dark, full of malice, and I take a chance on throwing it at him. He yowls as it sinks into his shoulder and I grin softly at myself before making my way around the table and up the stairs. I only make it a few steps before running straight into Tobias for the second time today.

"Marcus, I suggest you leave." Tobias steps forward, yanking the knife from Marcus' shoulder and tossing it in the sink before pulling the gun from his waistband. "You are no longer welcome in my home. If you breathe one word of this to anyone I will go straight to the counsel and give them all the proof they need that you are as unfit for your position as you are a parent."

Marcus stares at us for a second and I wonder what we might look like to him; Tobias is bare chested and holding a gun as his shoulders heave with the effort it is taking him to breathe and I am in my Sunday best, a foot shorter than them both, clutching a cook book to my chest and glaring daggers from Tobias' side - before watching Marcus back his way out the door. Tobias moves and slams it shut behind Marcus before turning at me with a puzzled look.

"Why didn't you yell for me?" Tobias asks and I frown.

"I didn't think to, I thought I could handle it myself. You're still recovering and I don't want you to get worse because of _him_." I feel like I can spit venom at the word and Tobias laughs gently.

"You should have seen yourself." His voice was soft, intimate and I hung on his every word, curious as to what he was talking about. "I don't know what it was, but in that moment when I watched you throw the knife," He runs a hand through his hair with another laugh, cupping the back of his own neck with a hum, "your eyes were just alight with this fire and it was amazing." All I could do was stand there and blush. My mind is torn from the blueness of his eyes when he is wracked with coughs again and I remember he is still healing. I help him sit before grabbing the inhaler for him in case he needs it.

"You should go lay back down." I state softly, resting my hand against his shoulder. My palm still tingles where our skin meets, fingers parallel with a fading bruise, and I pull my hand away as I feel my face get even more flushed. Tobias catches my hand and skims it up his chest and neck to press it against his cheek, skin hot against my cold fingers.

"Are you afraid of me, Beatrice?" He asks, voice husky and gruff, and I don't know the proper answer. I know he could take from me whatever he wanted, and I know he could easily hurt me, but I'm not afraid of those things. I'm more afraid of him being so close. I had only ever seen my parents hold hands and only seen bare bodies while working but here, in the intimacy of his home, I am mostly afraid of him making me bare too. What type of bareness I am afraid of - physical or emotional - I don't really know.

"Are you afraid of me, Tobias?" I ask him in a silvery voice and he laughs, pressing his cheek into my palm and inhaling at my wrist.

"Terrified." He whispers. A knock at the door breaks the quiet spell and I cast a sad glance to the door and then back at Tobias.

"Go put a shirt on, I'll get the door." Tobias nods and I set aside the cook book on my way to the door. When I open it, I frown at seeing my mother standing on the other side. "Mom, come in?" I look over my shoulder.

"I need to speak with you and Tobias." My mother states and I frown before nodding.

"Have a seat, I'll see if Tobias is awake." I glance to the kitchen, where the bloody knife is hiding in the sink, before leading my mother into the living room and letting her sit on the couch. I quickly make my way up the stairs and knock softly on Tobias' door. It opens and I smile up at him before looking over my shoulder. "My mother's here. She says she needs to talk to us."

"I figured this would happen, but not this soon." I frown at Tobias but follow him down the stairs where he moves to sit across from my mother, I sit next to her and smile although I am confused.

"Natalie, to what do I owe the pleasure?" The tone in which Tobias addresses my mother confuses me. I know my father is a colleague so addressing him by his first name is common but my mother? She doesn't seem phased and looks at me, reaching out to pet my hair for a brief moment, before turning her attention to Tobias again.

"Andrew told me that they will be sending delegates to Dauntless on Monday." Tobias nods and I frown. How had Tobias known this? How does my mother know this? "I know out of everyone you will be the most prepared, I expect you to not let Beatrice out of your sight."

 _'I know you out of everyone will be the most prepared.'_ This phrase coming from my mother unsettles me. Does she know about Tobias' affiliation with the Dauntless? How could she possibly know he would be the most prepared of us all? A million questions warp their way through my mind - enough so that I miss the last half of their conversation and don't realize it had ended until my mother is standing. I stand with her, looking between her and Tobias, confused, before following them to the door.

"Also, there's no church tonight. It seems Marcus was attacked by some rogue factionless while he was walking home from work." She eyes Tobias curiously. "You wouldn't happen to know anything about that would you?" Tobias laughs and shakes his head.

"If I had any hand in it you, as well as I, know that he wouldn't be walking." The frankness in which Tobias speaks surprises me and before I can ask about it my mother is tucking a lock of hair behind my ear and smiling at me.

"Well, there is a curfew enforced so I'd rather prefer Beatrice stay here instead of walking all the way home and risking getting caught by these rogues." I don't miss the look she and Tobias share before she turns and leaves.

"What's for dinner?" Tobias asks low in my ear and I blush gently.

"What was that all about?" I ask as the door shuts behind us.

"I have no idea what you mean, Beatrice." He's playing stupid and it irritates me.

"Right. Well if you're not going to tell me then I'm going to leave." I gather my jacket but before I can make it three steps Tobias grabs my arm and frowns.

"All right, All right. I'm sorry." He starts coughing again and I make a mental note: adrenaline makes his breathing more difficult. "Your mother is the one who has been helping me get things from Dauntless. There are others, inside the Dauntless compound, who are on our side - including Zeke - who are fighting to save the Divergent."

"Does she know about you?" I ask. Tobias nods licking his lips and a knot inside my stomach unravels.

"I'll let her tell you the rest when she feels comfortable enough to do so." His silly grin makes me smile and I can't help but let the anger and irritation I had previously dissolve. "Anyways, she just gave us an out to go practice without anyone worrying about where you are." I smile at this and he laughs, gently moving to the sink to take hold of the knife, blood half-dried on it. "Although, I don't know how much practice you need with that throw you landed." We both laugh at that and he gestures me forward, opening the forgotten cook book to a page. "I'll wash your knife if you'll start on this for me." I nod gently and begin working, humming softly to myself at the realization that I could get used to this: Tobias and I making dinner together every night


	12. Chapter 12

I'm not sure what time it is when I wake up – Tobias doesn't have a clock in his guest room – but the sound of thunder cracks overhead. It's still dark, almost pitch black outside the window to my left, and I frown as lightning flashes close by. I've never been very fond of storms - especially not the raging storms of fall - and even where I feel safest, I feel uneasy. Another rumble cracks overhead and I'm out of my bed and away from the window in an instant as it rattles. The dark churning skies remind me of what I used to imagine the marsh to look like before it dried up, back when it was a massive lake. I've never learned how to swim and the deepness of the used-to-be lake always terrified me in my mind. I remember, when I was smaller, Amity children would talk about ponds hidden in wooded areas in the Amity sector that they would swim in, but the thought terrified me. Who would want to swim in something where you couldn't touch the bottom? I yelp when thunder cracks again.

My mother always is awake during storms as well and usually she'll have a pot of tea ready for me when I wake. However, Tobias is still asleep when I make my way down to his kitchen. I feel awkward sitting in Tobias' kitchen waiting on the water in the kettle to heat and I mull over what he would think of finding me here, cowering in one of his over large shirts in his kitchen waiting on tea. The kettle whistles and a loud crash outside causes me to scream. The kitchen light flickers as I hear foot steps thud on the stairs. I move to remove the kettle from the stove and turn off the burner with shaking hands before setting it aside and looking over my shoulder towards Tobias. He has the gun in one hand, a flashlight in the other and a curious expression on his face that I can barely read before the power finally cuts out.

"Tobias?" I ask, unsure whether my voice carries over the loud sound of the storm. The flashlight flickers on and I note that the gun is gone. I give him a grateful smile as he comes over and lends me the light to pour the hot water, but my hands shake so badly that he trades me the light for the kettle and I smile thankfully as he pours it for me, retrieving another mug for himself.

I jump at the sound of thunder again and Tobias hands me the mugs with tea already seeping into them, not saying a word. I follow him, mugs in hand, to the couch and he smiles, pulling the table over for me to set the mugs on before he moves to the fireplace. "I used to hate storms as a child." He tells me, his voice just loud enough for me to hear. He works on starting a fire in the hearth and once it spikes to life, he returns to sit on the couch, holding out a hand to me. "My mother would start the fire, and sit with me until I fell asleep." I take his hand and sit next to him. He wraps his arm around my shoulder and pulls me closer to him so I'm almost resting against his shoulder. "I used to miss her a lot when it stormed but now I just wonder about her, about if she was the one more afraid of storms than I was, and just used me as a way to ignore her own fear." I remembered Tobias' mother's funeral and nod slowly.

"You still miss her sometimes, I bet." I whisper.

"I miss the woman I thought she was before she left." He replies to me, voice harder than I would have thought coming from someone talking about their dead mother.

"What do you mean?" I ask, taking a sip from my tea.

"About a year after my initiation here, she left me a message," I blink at him in confusion. "I met her where she wanted and there she was, Evelyn Johnson, my mother, alive and well and living factionless." He laughs a humorless laugh and I frown. "She claims she left because of the abuse but didn't think Marcus would stoop so low as to beat his own child." I touch his cheek gently and he looks at me, eyes hard and far away. "I don't think I've ever hated anyone as much as I hate her most days." His admission breaks my heart a little but I nod anyways to show I am listening.

Thunder cracks over head and I jump, almost spilling my tea. Tobias laughs softly and pulls me against his side, running his hand up and down my bare arm. I know I should feel uncomfortable - half bare next to Tobias who is only in his sleep pants - but I just feel content even though the contrast between his warm skin and the cool air makes me shiver. The shiver doesn't go unnoticed, however, and Tobias stands and disappears up the stairs before I can protest. When he returns, he has a dark gray blanket draped over his arm. Returning to his spot, Tobias pulls me close so I'm resting against him again before throwing the blanket over us. He sips his tea quietly for a while and I do the same.

"Could... Could I sleep down here?" I ask. The storm is quieter down here, the lightning nearly invisible through the darker curtains of his living room.

"You can sleep anywhere you want." He chuckles over the brim of his cup and I smile shyly.

"Even your bed?" I know the question would have mixed connotations no matter what faction we are in but I couldn't keep it from voicing itself.

"Even my bed." He set his empty cup aside. "You're my guest and you're welcome to sleep wherever you feel most comfortable. I can easily sleep in the guest bed or here on the couch or even the floor if it pleases you."

"I..." I know my cheeks are red and I'm thankful it's too dark for him to really see the blush. "That's not what I meant." I whisper, feeling braver than I had before.

"What did you..." His voice dies away as I sip my tea. He has figured out what I was meaning and I blush into my tea, refusing to look at him. "Beatrice..." My mug is gone, being set down a bit harder than necessary by Tobias. "I..." He seems to be as lost for words as I am. I see him move closer and I lick my lips anxiously. We're close enough that we share the same air and I wonder if we're going to get interrupted again like every other time we're this close, but he brushes my lips with his and I forget those thoughts instantly. The storm rages overhead and the fire crackles, but the warmth I feel blossoming in my chest isn't from the fire's glow. I feel him grin as he presses his mouth to mine.

I'm not sure what to do with my hands, or my mouth and so, when he pulls away, I'm afraid I've done something wrong, but he smiles at me. His eyes search mine for a moment before he's cupping my jaw in both hands, fingers strong against my skin but soft in my hair, and kissing me again - this time firmer and more certain. I wrap an arm around him, sliding my hand up his neck and into his hair and shift closer, feeling emboldened by his response.

We kiss for a few minutes before we pull apart and he presses his forehead to mine. "Are you sure about this, Beatrice?" He asks and I just nod. He kisses me again and I smile returning the kiss before taking our empty mugs to the sink to rinse them and put them on the rack to dry. Tobias puts the table back in its spot while I gather the blanket in my arms. When he returns to my side, we make our way up the stairs together. He stops at his door and gives me a shy, boyish smile. "You can sleep here and I'll sleep in the guest room." I shake my head, my mind has been made up, and push open the door to his room, spreading the blanket over the top of it before moving to crawl under the sheets.

It takes Tobias several minutes of looking from the floor to me and back before he moves to lay beside me on the bed. He covers himself with the blanket, but lays on top of the sheets and smiles at me again. The tea has made me sleepy and I can't help but yawn even though I want to spend as much time in the presence of this happy Tobias as I can before sleeping but he just smiles and reaches out to rub my back gently. "Sleep, Tris." He whispers and it sparks a memory in my mind.

"You've called me that before," I whisper sleepily, closing my eyes even though I don't want to. "Why?"

"I don't know. The Dauntless have nicknames for each other. I know they're sort of frowned upon here but we're sort of part of Dauntless now, too, you know? And Tris just feels more Dauntless than Beatrice so it just sort of stuck in my mind, I guess. I hadn't realized I've actually called you Tris before now but if you don't like it I'll stop." I shake my head at this and laugh gently.

"Four and Tris have a nice ring to it. Though..." I yawn again, my voice fading as I speek, " m-maybe I should have a..." Another yawn, "a numerical name to go with yours." I hear him laugh but his hand is so large and warm on my back that it lulls me to sleep before I can really digest his response.

The smell of food wakes me up and I wonder how long I have been asleep. I don't have work today because it is the day of our initiation ceremony and we're supposed to spend this time to reflect on how thankful we are for our families who brought us up to be the people we are today. Instead of being home, I'm at Tobias' and apparently he is cooking. I make my way downstairs easily and find Tobias humming along with a song on the small radio he had gotten from Zeke. I can't keep the small smile from my face as I watch him so calm and carefree for a few moments.

"Your mother brought clothes by for you. She wasn't sure if you'd be home today so she brought them as an excuse to check on you because she knows storms upset you." I'm not surprised by the fact that Tobias knew I was in the room without having to look at me, I have the same feeling – as if my body is naturally attuned to his – whenever he enters a room I'm in.

"Today is the Initiation Ceremony. I wish you could come with." I tell him as I pick up the bag my mother had left.

"I do, too, but I have to meet with your father and we're working out a strategy for our meeting with the Dauntless that is on Monday. We're meeting Zeke on Saturday, I'm going to have to tell him to mention to the others that they don't know us. I'll be harder to recognize because I'll be dressed like a stiff, but they only know you as an Abnegation girl. The initiates I'm not too worried about, you had classes with them for many years, I'm sure we could get away with that but I hope I go as unnoticed as possible." I nod along with Tobias' words and he turns to smile at me. "Go change, I'm almost done with breakfast." I nod again and return up the stairs to change.

When I return to the kitchen, Tobias has our breakfast of wheat toast, scrambled eggs and fresh juice set up. I would ask where he got the juice from, but by now I know better. " I could get used to this." I murmur softly, sitting across the table from him. The boyish smile that lights up Tobias' face makes me smile and I feel like my insides are melting.

"Me too." He scoops up a helping of eggs and our conversation lulls as we eat.

The watch on my wrist beeps and I hum my displeasure as it reads 8:00, "Don't you have to be to work soon?" I ask as I take my plate to the sink and wash it easily along with the pan Tobias had used to make the eggs in.

"I don't have to be in until nine today. The counsel is setting up the meeting hall for tonight's Ceremony so we're starting late today." Tobias brushes his hand over my hair, like my father does some days, before placing a kiss on the top of my head and handing me his plate. "I'm going to get dressed though and then we can take our time walking there, if you'd like to walk with me?"

"Of course I'll walk with you, then I'll go home and work on sorting out my stuff for my new home." I lick my lips nervously. It's going to be strange having my own home. "I'm scared." I admit not only to him but to myself as well.

"It's a big change but I know you'll do fine. Let your fear make you brave." Tobias kisses my head once more before turning to head upstairs to get dressed for the day.

"That's such a Dauntless thing to say!" I call after him laughing.

The Initiation Ceremony for Candor is taking a Truth Serum where all of your deepest secrets are laid out for your faction to see, Erudite is turning in a master thesis or something along those lines with lots of research involved, Dauntless fight each other and then do fear landscapes to learn how to overcome their fear, and the Amity pick fruit and sing songs all day. Abnegation Initiation is a quiet affair. The sight of Marcus chills me, but the fact that his arm is in a sling as he reads our Faction manifesto sends a swell of pride through my chest. The thought that I had done some serious damage to him with my throw sends something vicious and cruel seeping through the pride and I frown at myself, unsure whether I like that feeling or not. Once Marcus is finished reading our Manifesto, older members of our faction - my mother and father included - wash our feet as we – the initiates- sit side by side on a bench. It's weird for me to have someone else wash my feet, and not for the first time I wonder if I made the right choice choosing Abnegation. My mother smiles up at me as she washes my feet, shushing me gently when her brush finds the tender scar on the bottom of my foot.

Once our feet are dry and our socks are back on, we all move to the table to have dinner. Many congratulations go around as food is passed to the left and I smile a closed lip smile at my mother when she whispers, "I'd be proud of you no matter what." as she's passing me a bowl of peas. I still feel out of place here, but I know my parents are proud of me and I'm safe in Abnegation with Tobias and that's all I really need.

The only time I didn't feel at peace here, in the simple acts of my parents and faction, was when I caught a glance of Randolph and Susan at the other end of the table. I still feel unsafe with Randolph around, especially after the way he hit Tobias and the things he said to me before Tobias intervened at the Volunteer Agency but he and Susan seem to be getting along well and he is being nice with the rest of the members of my – our – faction now. After dinner, we get our housing assignments and I smile reading the number. My new home is two houses over from Tobias' which makes me two houses across from my parents as well.

"Beatrice, we're going to be neighbors still." Susan tells me as we're leaving the meeting hall and I smile and nod politely, not really having any interest in small chatter when I realize that means I'll be seeing more of Randolph if he decides to start courting Susan. Something in the back of my mind keeps me on red alert at this, keeps telling me that no matter how much Randolph seems to have changed there is something not right about him being in our faction or seeing Susan.


	13. Chapter 13

Moving into my new home is easy. The only things that need to move from my parents house to mine are the things in my bedroom. The things in the rest of the house are already provided for me, per faction custom, and are identical to everything in every other Abnegation house. It doesn't quite feel like home, and I know it won't for as long as I'm living by myself. My mother kisses my hair and my father gives me a brief hug as he talks about how proud he is to have his only daughter be a functioning member of society now and working under him to boot.

Tobias comes over once they leave and offers me a small container of something that smells amazing when I open the lid. "I met with Zeke today for a few minutes on the outskirts of Dauntless territory."

"You went to Dauntless by yourself?" I interrupt eyebrows raised.

"No, your father and a few of the other council members went too, pre-planning for our meeting on Monday. Anyways he gave me this to give to you with his congratulations. It's Dauntless Cake. His brother, you'll be meeting Uriah on Saturday, will eat a whole cake by himself if he was allowed to." I laugh with Tobias and get two forks from my silverware drawer. We sit down at the table and he smiles at me when he accepts the fork.

"I'll let you have the first bite, it's your mini-celebration we're having here."

"Do you think we've made the right choice?" I ask looking at the fork in my hand.

"What do you mean?"

"Do you think we chose right picking Abnegation? I mean I passed initiation, sure, but I just... I feel wrong here, something about being here feels like I'm living a lie."

"Where else would you have picked to go?" His brows were knit together in thought.

"I ..." My mouth goes dry at the though and I lick my lips trying to wet them. "I don't know... I don't think I'd really fit in anywhere. Maybe Dauntless because of the stuff you and Christina have showed me. I don't..." I set the fork down and run my fingers into my hair pressing the heels of my palms into my eyes. "Maybe I'd be better off factionless."

"Hey..." Tobias is at my side now, turning me and pulling my hands away from my eyes. He presses his forehead against mine. "Don't talk like that. Just... give it a while longer, I'm sure you'll adjust and if not I'm sure we can figure something out, just give it a few more weeks, okay?" I nod slowly even though my mind is a mass mix of anxiety ridden thoughts. Tobias smooths his hands up my neck and kisses me softly and I relax a bit. I know I'll always be safe in his hands.

"How about that cake?" he asks when I've calmed down and I laugh and nod picking up my fork again to take a taste. The cake is moist and soft and the frosting is fluffy and sweet and I can't help but indulge myself in another taste before allowing Tobias to have one. His happy hum makes me laugh gently and he drapes an arm across the back of my chair as we take turns eating small bites of the rich chocolate cake.

I clean the container once we finish the cake and Tobias starts a fire in my fireplace. I'm glad the nights are cooler, it gives me an excuse to be close to him. I curl into his side under the blanket from the back of the couch, my legs draped over his, and he smiles at me as he scans some paperwork he had brought over. "What is the meeting in Dauntless going to be about?" I ask softly.

"So far the plan is that you and I will get a tour while the others are setting up. We'll get to see Zeke, he works in intelligence I think I've told you." I nod as his hand finds my calf and strokes it slowly. "We'll take part in the meeting which will be about policing the factionless and the fence as usual, and then we will have lunch with the Dauntless then resume our meeting. If it lasts too long or the weather is bad we may end up staying the night so bring a change of clothes just in case." I nod gently as he runs rough strokes up my aching calf and I rest my cheek against his shoulder with a happy hum. "Just… Stick close to me, okay?" he asks and I nod again.

"I'm not scared of the Dauntless." I state plainly. Tobias tilts my chin up so I can look him in the eyes.

"You should be. They're volatile and irrational and prone to spur of the moment decisions that can be dangerous."

"You sound like you know them so well." I'm not amused by his tone and he obviously isn't amused by mine because he lets go of my chin and sighs.

"Why is it so wrong for me to want to keep you safe, Beatrice?" His voice is soft and I can't pull my eyes away from his.

"I don't like that you feel the need to protect me because I'm afraid that if you're protecting me you won't be protecting yourself." Tobias chuckles gently but I frown at him. "I don't think this is very funny."

"I'm sorry."

"No you're not." He presses the palm of his free hand to my face, his index finger tucking behind my ear, and pulls my mouth to his. After a few moments of kissing he shifts us so I'm resting back against the armrest of my couch and his weight is resting over me - his hand moving from my calf to my waist. He tilts his head and kisses the skin just below my jaw and I feel him smile against my skin when he hears me sigh.

My heart is thumping in my chest as he moves his lips down, kissing along my collarbone and finding a spot that makes me shiver. He sucks the spot for a brief moment, sending another shiver down my spine chased by a flash of fear. It's not a nervous fear like I imagine everyone feels, but a feeling in my stomach that makes my hands shake. I shift, pushing him back so I could hike my skirt up enough to swing a leg over him. I'm sitting on top of him and this time I kiss him first.

I feel his fingers curl into my shirt for a brief moment as I kiss him before I feel his warm fingers and wide palm spread across the skin of my lower back. His hands are big - one finger touches the base of the side of my ribs and another touches the other side - and I feel small and fragile in his hands. My body has begun to tingle where our skin meets and I have to pull away for air before I realise what exactly it is we're doing.

Pressing my forehead to Tobias' shoulder I feel his chest heaving with breaths and I'm glad to note he isn't coughing as bad as he was earlier in the day. I also note the position we are in and embarrassment floods Me and I feel my flush. "I-I don't want to move too fast." I whisper softly and I feel Tobias' chest vibrate with a chuckle.

"I'm sure your father had a better swing than Randolph did." I sat up straight at the mention of Randolph's name.

"He was at the ceremony today. How is he still in Abnegation after he hit you?" I ask.

"Well, Amity has this bread that we're pretty sure is laced with feel good serum. It's almost like a drug, nasty side effects and what not. I talked with the counsel, he's got extra community service with my father and I made the request that he not be allowed within a distance of us, especially since he tried to corner you in the dining hall like he did." Tobias strokes my cheek with his free hand - the other, I note, is still tucked up under my shirt stroking the skin of my low back gently - and pulls me forward for another brief kiss.

"I don't trust him." I whisper gently.

"We'll begin working on getting you worked into some more self defence soon. I promise." Tobias states kissing my forehead gently before shifting me off of his lap to our previous position.

I dream that I chose Dauntless over Abnegation and that I had never met Tobias. I dream that they found out I was Divergent and tied me up to a stake and tried to burn me alive. I awake screaming but this time my mother isn't there to comfort me.

Friday comes early but the work day passes quickly; I help set up the documents that will be used for our meeting on Monday with the Dauntless leadership, have lunch with Alyssa, and pack away everything for transport. I have dinner with my parents and the Blacks and I'm thankful to notice that Randolph isn't around this time so Susan and I can participate in conversation with our families like normal everything out in the open and free.

One of our neighbors had a baby the night of the initiation ceremony that was premature and I learn tonight that I was born almost two and a half months premature, 4 months before Caleb's first birthday to the day. My mother talks about how excited Caleb was when they brought me home several months later and how having children so close in age was a blessing because we always had a play mate. Susan and I share a look and I imagine she's getting the hint as loud and as clear as I am: Our parents are expecting us to have children soon, now that we're of age. After this conversation I remain quiet the rest of dinner.

"Beatrice!" Christina is first into our train car as we pass the Dauntless compound saturday evening. My clothes are still Abnegation gray and I'm too nervous about our adventure to say much but I give her a smile all the same. The two boys, Will and Al are next on the train followed by Zeke and another boy who introduces himself as Uriah. They don't really look alike, like I had expected, the only similarity is in their colouring really.

Three girls are the last on, five minutes later one right after the other. The Dauntless must have split up to not draw attention to themselves. I recognize Shawna only because she goes directly to Zeke and kisses him full on the mouth and I can't help but blush.

"Awe, guys stop you're making the Stiff uncomfortable." Christina cooes, a tease that stings a bit.

"No, It's fine I just…. I didn't know people kissed so openly in Dauntless." I reply, stumbling over my words and trying to quell my embarrassment. Sure Tobias and I had kissed before but only in the privacy of our homes.

"Right, stiffs only hold hands." Uriah teases grabbing one of the girls I haven't been introduced to and pulling her to his side. She giggles but the other girl, the one with the buzz cut hair, looks like she may throw up at the display.

"How do you explain all the Abnegation children?" Tobias asks with a raised eyebrow his hand sneaking its way around my waist to rest on my hip as he grins.

"I fully stand by the belief they were brought into the world on sheer force of will." Christina teases as she takes a drink from a bottle in a brown bag before passing it to Will.

"At least a quarter of them are actually factionless children who have been adopted." Will states looking at us.

"Really?" I ask in surprise.

"Yeah, Factionless parents sometimes turn infants over to the Abnegation volunteers. The Factionless sector isn't really a place to raise children. I'm surprised so many actually make it to term. I know some of the doctors offer medical and prenatal care to the Factionless but our society is so much different than theirs."

"Enough with the sociology stuff Will, you'll bore the girl to death. I'm Marlene by the way." The girl who had been sitting with Uriah got up and offered me her hand. "This is my best friend Lynn." I give a closed lipped smile and shake Marlene's hand awkwardly.

"Marlene. Stiff's don't shake hands you idiot." Christina states shoving the other girl with a laugh. "You're so uncultured."

"Says the girl drinking from a shared bottle of booze with the rest of us," Marlene teases back and they both laugh.

"Four, I'm stealing this girl for a few minutes. We've got to make her blend in." Christina playfully shoved Tobias, who is dressed in Dauntless black, away from me before taking my arm and leading me away from the others to the other side of the long train car. A mass of black cloth is shoved at me and I frown at it before looking at Christina curiously.

"Put it on, I guessed your measurements but Tobias said the pants Zeke had given you fit for the most part so I just stole something from Marlene."

"Hey! Thats where my dress went!" Marlene squeaked and Christina stuck her tongue out.

"I bought it first. Losers weepers." I smiled at the banter between the two and carefully pulled off my outer shirt. I looked over where the boys were laughing loudly and Christina moved to stand in my way. "Ignore them. Keep your undershirt on if you want, it's just going to be us, but if we get caught it will be easier for us to explain you're my younger half sister rather than tell them why a stiff is hanging out with a bunch of Dauntless."

"Is there a chance we'll get caught?" I ask pulling the dress over my head. It's solid black with long mesh sleeves. I still feel bare but not completely as the dress falls about calf length and I smile at her. It fits nicely, the fabric clinging to barely there curves and my small chest.

"Not really. We have Zeke and Shauna and Four. They'll vouch for us if we do get caught." I nod, unafraid amid my new Dauntless friends. Tobias glances over when I'm taking my pants off from under my dress and gives me a goofy grin but all I can do is look down and blush. Christina shoves all of my stuff into the bag she has brought and grins at me. "Here we go Tris, are you ready to see what a Dauntless saturday night is all about?"

Christina offers her hand to me as she shoulders the bag and moves to the door of the train car. I look back at Tobias who hasn't stopped grinning since Zeke arrived and nodded. If this is his world I want to be part of it, no matter the risks. Taking Christina's hand we take a running start before leaping from the moving car and loud laughter escapes my throat as I feel like I am flying for a brief few moments before tumbling to the ground.


	14. Chapter 14

**AN: I know I'm the shittiest author to ever write because I haven't updated this in AGES and I apologize for that. Between work and starting a new certification course I've been extremely busy which sucks for me because for this chapter I have had some serious writer's block which sucks! I'm really hoping to have chapter 15 out a short time after this one, however I'm having to replan almost everything because in this chapter a character throws a wrench into my entire plot and so I'm having to refigure what exactly it is I want to do with the character, the plot lines surrounding them and the story as a whole. I wanted this to be basically a retelling of Divergent but as if Tobias and Beatrice were still in Abnegation when the attack on Abnegation happened but because of Wrenchy McScrewball I'm revising that plan to give a bit of a twist to my original Idea. So, without further ado: A Different Choice Chapter 14.**

I realize where we're headed before we get there. The building Tobias and I used as a shooting range looms over us as we approach and I look back at him when Uriah starts talking. "I've seen all of you shoot and let's get one thing clear right now: I'm the best initiate Dauntless has." the younger dark skinned boy puffs out his chest as he stalks into the abandon building. I turn to face him from the side as I walk next to Christina with a broad grin.

"I'm pretty sure, just from your attitude, that any of us could out shoot you." Zeke laughs cuffing his brother on the shoulder hard enough to make Uriah stumble. "You know what. I bet even the stiff can out shoot you." Zeke winks at me and I look to Tobias in confusion.

"I may have told him how well you did with shooting that one night we spent most of the night here." Christina looks from me to Tobias with a wicked grin - obviously over hearing what Tobias had just said.

"Hey Uri, you know what I bet you fifty points the stiff can out shoot you." Laughter erupts all around us and even I laugh because Tobias and I know something they don't.

"You know what, as much as I hate taking money from a girl, you've got yourself a deal. I'm not scared of the stiff." Uriah holds out his hand and Christina shakes it with a broad grin.

"I don't have a gun." I state almost shyly but Tobias offers me the one tucked into the back of his pants. I shake my head. I don't actually want to hold it while we walk. Tobias shrugs and replaces the weapon before draping an arm across my shoulder and kissing my temple. As a group we head down the stairs and Zeke flips on the lights to expose our shooting range.

"Remember to police your brass," Zeke states offering Uriah his gun. Uriah grins and moved into one of the used to be cubicles and waits for Lynn to set up the cans we will be using as targets.

"Watch and learn stiff." Uriah almost coos before aiming and shooting. He hits the first two cans and then misses the next two shots.

"I thought Dauntless learned how to shoot at a young age." I state to Christina who giggles, causing Uriah to miss again.

"You have 6 shots left for 3 cans, Uriah." Zeke seems almost disappointed in his brother but I can't help the grin that spread across my face.

Uriah manages to shoot all of the cans with one bullet to spare and I frown looking up at Tobias. "I don't know if I can do as well as that." I tell him licking my lips nervously.

"Just remember what I told you." He hands me the gun and then kisses my forehead. "Breath in, aim, breath out, shoot." I nod and wait for Lynn to reset the cans.

I miss the first shot because I'm anxious. I feel a hand on my hip and I know by the wide palm and long fingers that it is Tobias. He takes slow purposeful breaths and I copy. In, aim. Out, fire. The shot rings out and with it the can flies from the bench. Two, three, four shots and I'm down to one shot but I'm trembling from the weight of the gun and pressure I'm under. I miss two shots before the can falls and Christina squeals and pulls me into a hug. I stiffen instantly at this and Tobias clears his throat behind us.

Christina pulls away with a deer in headlights look. "I'm sorry! I totally spaced that you weren't Dauntless. I'm sorry!" I pat her gently on the shoulder before Tobias moves to drape an arm across my shoulders. The others laugh and Uriah collects our shell casings before we move to head upstairs. As the lights go out I hear Tobias breathing in and out - almost panting - as we climb to the platform that leads us back to the main lobby. We follow Zeke and Shauna towards the elevators and Uriah hums.

"Do the elevators work?"

"Sure they do," says Zeke, rolling his eyes. "You think I'm stupid enough not to come here early and turn on the emergency generator?"

"Yeah," says Uriah. "I kind of do." Zeke glares at his brother, then puts him in a headlock and rubs his knuckles into Uriah's skull. Zeke may be smaller than Uriah, but he must be stronger, or at least faster. Uriah smacks him in the side, and he lets go.

I laugh softly and watch as the others file in. Tobias hesitates and I give him a small smile. "We'll catch the next one." I tell the others in response to confused looks.

Several coos and catcalls were exclaimed as the doors shut, much to my chagrin. Tobias gives me a goofy sort of lopsided grin when he notices my blush and I can't help but lean up and press my lips to his. My favorite part of our height difference is that when we're kissing he sweeps me off my feet, literally, and I cling to him even though I know I don't have to. Some part of me, deep in my stomach, enjoys the feel of the hard planes of his chest pressed against my barely there breasts and his arms secure around my waist and under my legs and I can't help giggling at the soft moan that escapes his throat when I brush my lips under his ear.

My stolen bliss is short lived when a can rattles close by. Tobias stiffens and sets me properly on my feet before reaching for his gun. Footsteps draw closer and we duck behind a pillar to stay out of sight. I peek for a moment when the footsteps stop and realize I recognize the stature and hair.

"Randolph?" I realize I've spoken aloud when he turns toward me.

"Who is there?" he asks and I step out and look around making sure to not look back at Tobias.

"What are you doing here? Does my father know you're here? If the council knew you were here they would be upset for messing with this…"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Randolph holds up his hands and steps back. "I didn't mean to trespass; I was coming home from a meeting and thought I would cut through here. I'll leave now and not mess with your mission." he backed away before turning and walking away.

Once he has left the building I dash to Tobias, grab his hand and usher him into the elevator before Randolph could come back. Once in the elevator I could breathe freely again and laughed softly. "I'm glad Candor wasn't an option for me."

"We would both fail." Tobias chuckled and looked at the numbers on the side, frowning. "To 98 we go I suppose." he presses the button and pulls me close as we wait for the elevator to take us to our destination.

"So, what mission is the council running that I don't know about?" I ask Tobias pulling away from him to stand across from him in the elevator as it begins the slow ascent towards our friends.

"I'm not sure I know what you mean." Tobias states but I notice that he doesn't look at me as he speaks.

"I think you know exactly what I mean." I don't move from my relaxed stance, giving him the opportunity to be honest with me before I get upset about his lying to me. He seems to do that a lot, I realize. "I told Randolph that I was doing something for the council and he just went with it. He knows something and I think you know too." Tobias frowns at me but before he can say anything else the doors to the elevator open.

"Tris, come on. We're getting ready to play a game of Candor or Dauntless." Christina grabs my arm before I can protest and drags me over to the group of others. Al hands me a pen and a sheet of paper and I look at Marlene, who I am sitting next to now, and she laughs softly. "Write down 5 questions and 5 dares to put into the bowl." I nod and tear my paper into 10 strips and try to come up with something.

I write down a few things, such as "what's your favorite color?" and "what's your most embarrassing secret?" I become more daring among my new dauntless friends and blush as I write down something deeper. "Why do you like the person you have a crush on?"

The dares are harder to come up with. These had to be things that would make a dauntless squirm. Ridicule is hard for me to be comfortable doing to another person so simple dares like "Trade an article of clothing - or pants - with the person to your left" and "dance like a chicken' are all I can come up with before I seek out Christina for help. After a couple sips of the brown bottled alcohol we agree on 'take off an article of clothing within your comfort range', 'lick the cheek of the person to your left' and another that is silly and makes me giggle.

"You ready for this? Remember you can sit out if you're not up for something they want you to do." Tobias' breath is warm against my neck as he tucks a loose lock of hair back into my bun for me before placing a gentle kiss there. I hum.

Someone, I wasn't paying attention to which it was, spins a bottle and the open end lands on Christina. "Candor." She chooses and the game begins.

Marlene grins and reaches for the bowl pulling out a slip and handing it to Christina. "Are you a virgin? If not name a person, place, or age when it happened." Christina never struck me as someone who was shy or backed down from this sort of challenge and she doesn't prove me wrong this time, her grin widening as she shifts to cross her legs. "14, the Upper Levels library and I'm not telling who." Both Will and Al's ears turn red and Christina laughs spinning the bottle. I like the sound of Christina's laugh. It's a free unashamed sound that makes me feel like I haven't got any worries in the world, much like Tobias' smile.

Christina's spin lands on Tobias. She raises her eyebrows at him and he grins. "I'm 100% Dauntless." the others laugh along with him as he reaches into the bowl and pulls out a strip of paper. "Kiss the next player to your right with the opposite gender." I frown as Tobias leans over and kisses Christina gently on the mouth. She grins and winks playfully before offering him the bottle. I wonder if he's done that before but the thought escapes my mind as Marlene and Lynn let out loud squeals of laughter at the dance that Zeke is doing.

I giggle gently, the alcohol has finally settled in my stomach and made my head fuzzy as Uriah spins the bottle and I briefly wonder how his knuckles got bruised before the bottle lands on me. It's been at least two hours since we started and I've had three drinks from the brown bagged bottle Christina keeps handing me when I refuse to answer a question. "Tris!" Uriah's eyes are bright with laughter but I pick Dauntless before he can even ask me. Drawing out a strip of dauntless paper Uriah grins. "You and Four, 7 minutes in heaven."

I blink at Tobias in confusion but he shakes his head. I look to Christina and tilt my head. She laughs and stands offering me her hand before leaning over to whisper "You both get locked in a closet and make out for 7 minutes." I know my eyes get wide because she just laughs.

"Come on stiff, either into the closet or take a shot." Someone, Zeke or Uriah probably, calls. I frown but nod and stand tugging on Tobias' hand so he follows me. I let him into the closet first before pulling the door shut behind me. I didn't realize the closet was so small until I turn around my chest is flush against Tobias'. He's breathing hard and I blink up at him curiously.

"Are you alright Tobias?" I ask shyly trying to figure out if I had picked the wrong dare to accept.

"I don't … Don't like small spaces, remember, Beatrice." He whispers his voice soft and small as his eyes dart around the small room.

"Right" I knew this. Of course I knew this from the shooting lessons he had given me. I lick my lips and rest my hands on his chest. "It's okay. I'm here, its fine. Just remember to breathe." I take his hand and put it on my chest over my heart and smile. "Just breathe with me, inhale when I inhale and exhale when I exhale." He nods a jerky nod and closes his eyes, breathing when I breathe.

After a few moments of this I shift my stance and blush when my thigh brushes between his legs and I realize he's hard. "Tobias... what are you doing?" I ask cheeks hot.

"Nothing." he whispered his eyes still closed.

"Part of you is doing something." I whisper and he blinks at me and then down at my leg and back.

"I'm sorry I can't control that." He seems very embarrassed and I blush and nod turning around resting my forehead against the door. After a moment I hear his voice in the darkness again. "Beatrice…"

"What?" I ask softly.

"This is worse." his voice sounds pained and I cover my mouth to keep from laughing. Turning around I come face to face with his chest. Looking up I keep my hand over my mouth to keep from giggling and he gives a small smile whispering my name again.

After another few moments I drop my hand, his blue eyes boring into mine as he slips his hand into my hair to cradle the back of my head and all I want is for him to close the distance between us. I feel him move so our noses touch and our foreheads are pressed together and I know that he had forgotten his discomfort for a moment. Then the door pulls away from my back and I fall backwards onto the concrete floor of the abandoned building with a squeal and Christina is standing over me with a broad smile on her face.

"Your 7 minutes are up losers, come rejoin us." she singsongs before skipping back to the group who had continued on without us. I tuck my hair behind my ears as Tobias helps me up and we walk back to the group. They're a jumble of random clothing on bodies and Zeke and Will are down to only their boxers though neither seems to be embarrassed by it. I'm embarrassed by their nakedness but I smile all the same. I think I'm going to like playing Dauntless.


	15. Chapter 15

**AN: I've had several messages asking me about the 7 minutes in heaven scene so I've decided to address it in this chapter :D .**

My head feels like cotton and my mouth is very dry when I wake up. I don't remember how I got home but flashes of the night before hit me as I lay in my bed.

" _Tell us your sexiest story." I pale at this and look around the group trying to figure out what exactly they want me to say. I shake my head and Christina wordlessly hands me the bottle. I eye it curiously and frown. Even though I'm with Tobias I know that my encounters of 'sexy' are vastly different than that of my friends because I have nowhere near the experiences that they do. Unable to answer I take a sip and cough at the burn that follows the liquid and numbs my tongue for a brief moment._

I try to think back and count how many drinks I had taken from the bottle. Three when we set up the game, three for dares and truths undone and one just because when Tobias pulled me aside once the others got bored of the game. We had left the others still drinking it up and stumbled our way into the train to get home.

I groan softly as I sit up in my bed, reaching for the glass of water and taking a long drink from stomach protests and I know I should have something to eat in case what alcohol I have in my system decides to rebel against me at some random moment today. Getting up slowly I make my way downstairs.

I'm surprised, when I take in my living room, to see Tobias sprawled out on my couch shirtless. I smile gently and try to be quiet as I move into the kitchen to have another glass of water and start on some scrambled eggs.

A few minutes pass before warm hands brush across my shoulder and down my bare arm causing me to stiffen in embarrassment when I realize I'm only in his t-shirt. I blush as he hugs me to his chest a low "Morning" grumbled into my hair as he soothes one hand across my stomach and the other down my arm to rest on the counter.

"What are you doing here Tobias?" I ask softly trying to piece together the night before.

"I don't actually remember falling asleep, but I know at some point I spilled water on you, in which you demanded I give you my shirt in retribution. You went to change and I must have passed out because I don't remember anything after that." His soft laugh rumbles through me and I can't help but relax in his embrace.

"Well, if you'll finish making breakfast I'll change and you can have your shirt back." He chuckles gently and kisses my head before taking the spatula so I can untangle myself from him and head back upstairs to my bedroom.

I stare at the clothing in my closet longer than I should - knowing that the thoughts I am having are thoughts that could get me killed - wishing that I had something darker or just different to wear besides the plain Abnegation gray.

I pull on a plain gray t-shirt and a pair of cream slacks before returning to the kitchen to give Tobias his shirt. Tobias has already set up breakfast for us, including fresh juice, and I can't help the smile that spreads across my face. I thank him softly before sitting picking up my fork and beginning to eat in silence. I glance up, across the table, and think about how far we've come in just 5 short weeks.

"Did you ever think we'd be here?" Tobias asks, as if he read my thoughts, and I can't help but laugh.

"I was just thinking about how far we've come in the 5 weeks since I've met you." I answer honestly. "I thought you hated me that first night." I add.

"You were just too perceptive and I didn't really want to let anyone bridge the wall I had set up to prevent that. How did such a small insignificant girl like you worm her way past all those walls?" I know he's teasing but it still bothers me that once upon a time he saw me as just some nobody.

"I took a belt for you." I remind him gently.

"Oh, right." He reaches across the table to brush his thumb across where the bruise had lingered once upon a time. I set down my fork and stand leaning across the table to cup his cheek in my hand brushing my thumb along his lower lip. His eyes close and his lips part, the bottom one quivering under my thumb and I can't not kiss him. I lean up further and press my mouth to his gently before pulling away and returning to my seat cursing how easily I blush.

"Why didn't you kiss me?" The question confuses me enough to look up at Tobias after a few moments, my face still hot.

"Pardon?"

"When we were in the closet." He states softly and I finally catch on. "Why didn't you just kiss me to distract me from the closed space?"

"I…" I have to think about my answer trying to remember the night before. "I honestly didn't think about it until near the end." I reply shyly dipping my head to eat another bite of eggs.

"You didn't think about it? When we're together all I can think about is kissing you." I look up to catch a soft flush creep across Tobias' face and I remember then that he wasn't raised dauntless like our friends but abnegation, projecting himself outward and not thinking about how we feel. This is as new to him as it is to me.

"I was worried you were going to pass out. I was trying to figure out how to get you to calm down, not how much I wanted to kiss you Tobias. I'm sorry!" Tobias moves around the table to kneel next to me, his hands wrapped gently around my upper arms.

"Don't…." His eyes bore into mine and I feel as if he's seeing into my soul and I want to blush and look away but there is so much determination and conviction in those eyes that in that moment all I want to do is kiss him. "Don't ever apologize for wanting to help people Beatrice. I just wanted to understand, not to make you feel bad." He hugs me then and I melt into the warmth of his chest and hug him back.

Our weekend is the same as it is every other weekend, Tobias and I hand out clothes and blankets in the cool morning air on Saturday then sneak away to practice my fighting and shooting skills. Sunday we go to church - where Tobias takes a risk and holds my hand as we sit on the stone benches of the government building - and pray for the health and prosperity of the rest of the world with our peers.

Monday morning comes and I'm a jumble of nerves. Tobias walks me to the door of our office building and gives me a gentle squeeze before we part ways, he to my father's office and me to his. All of our deliveries were successful on friday so the only thing I have to do is make sure we have the plans for the day set up and transportation to and from the Dauntless Compound organized. We leave about an hour after our work day starts and even though I'm nervous about entering territory I've never been to before I know Tobias isn't far.

He gives me a smile as we board the bus and I trip over my pant leg as I'm climbing the stairs. Alyssa chuckles softly and helps me up. "Falling for him are you?" she teases softly. Teasing isn't very abnegation of her, but we've gotten to the point in our friendship where I'm not really bothered by the small nuances of her personality that definitely show what she isn't originally from Abnegation.

We're met at the front of the Dauntless Compound by two menacing looking men, one tall and broad with darker skin and hair and I wonder for a brief moment if he's related to Uriah and Zeke before my attention is pulled to the smaller male. He's shorter than our host and pale with a rat like face and greasy looking black hair that hangs to his shoulders. He has a look in his eyes like he's ready to eat us alive, at least Alyssa and myself, the piercings that cover a lot of his face and ears add to the unnerving look about him. The older male introduces himself as Max while the younger one, Eric, continues to ogle Alyssa and me while Max speaks.

"Welcome to Dauntless. From this point forward I will be your leader, showing you where we're headed and giving a basic breakdown of what will take place during our meeting." I know the basics of what we will be doing here, I am the one who wrote the notes for the meeting itinerary after all, but my concern rests mostly on the way Eric keeps looking at me. "The younger Ambassadors are welcome to go and meet our ambassadors in training and our initiates."

"The initiates?" I ask curiously.

"One or more of them may be ambassadors following the ending of their training so I figured it would be a good idea if you met them now so you'd be able to recognize them later. Eric will show you the way." I look up at Tobias who gives me a closed lipped smile.

"Tobias, why don't you escort Alyssa, Beatrice and the other assistants on the tour with Eric?" My father leans in close to Tobias' ear and only I am able to hear what he says next. "Keep an eye on that one, I don't like how he's looking at the girls." Tobias nods.

"That sounds like a splendid idea." Tobias nods at Eric whose mouth has set into a displeased frown.

"Right. Follow me. Keep up. I don't have time to wait around for stragglers." Eric looks directly at me as he says this and the look in his eyes makes my skin crawl.

We get a quick tour of the ground level of the Dauntless Compound before heading up the stairs. Some of the initiates are mulling around a long hallway talking softly but I don't see Christina or Uriah present which makes me curious. "Here is where the second stage of our training is taking place. This is where our initiates make or break it more often than none." Eric seems almost bored and this unsettles me how much care he has for human life.

"Some of our initiates are finished for the day though, so they'd be in the dormitories which we'll get to later if you end up staying with us." I'm disappointed that I won't be getting to see Christina until later, however we enter a large room engulfed in screens and I relax a bit when I see Zeke.

"What's this then? I didn't know we were getting company today. I mean Yeah I knew we'd be hosting the council today but I didn't know they'd be coming up here. Who's this then?" Zeke's animated talk seems to bother Eric who shakes his head and steps out of the room. "I'm Zeke, lead of Intelligence around here." He gives us all nods, and me a playful wink and I have to fight to hide my smile. I catch my brother on one of the monitors and tune Zeke out as he explains the workings of Central Intelligence in favor of watching my brother for a few moments.

Tobias' hand on my lower back draws me from the sad place I have gone and he brushes a tear from my cheek with a soft smile. "It's alright to miss him you know." He states softly, kissing my hair. I'm startled by this and pull away to look around. Tobias chuckles. "Zeke is taking the others back to the conference room, we should probably follow or we'll get lost." I nod shyly and he leads me back to the small group heading down the hallway. Zeke leads us back down to where our meeting will be held and gives a tip of an invisible hat which makes me smile.

Our meeting is long and I lose interest about two hours in while Marcus and my father argue the rounds they think Dauntless should take while patrolling the Factionless sector. When I catch Tobias' eye he gives me a small smile before returning to his note taking and I grow bored quickly so I begin to make up stories of people's futures in my head.

Someone knocks at the door which pulls me from my thoughts as I'm half way around the room in my musings. "Dinner is being served, you asked me to come tell you." A small girl with bright red and blue hair states from the door.

"Thank you Kara." Max calls and all discussion stops. "Shall we resume this after dinner?" He asks the members of the counsel as he stands, not expecting an answer. Tobias, Alyssa, and I are the last to leave, as is proper, and Alyssa gives me a small secret smile before running to catch up to the others. I look at Tobias in confusion but he just shrugs.

We reach a split in the hall, one leading left to the dining hall and another to the right to the chasm. Our group heads left but Tobias grabs me around the waist and pulls me in the opposite direction, his hand muffling my surprised giggle. When we're several steps down the hall he sets me properly on my feet before herding me backwards into a corner. When my shoulders and back hit wall, so does one of his hands and I jump at the sound of his palm on the stone as it echos. For a few brief moments, we're alone and I can breathe easy.

Tobias grins over me. "You cannot believe how long I've been wishing we were alone." He stated, voice thick. He leans down, close enough to where we're almost sharing the same breath, but when I lean up he leans away, teasing. I feel his free hand dip down my side to press against my lower back, pulling me closer but again he evades my attempt to kiss him by kissing my cheek, and then under my ear to my throat. I breathe out softly, humming at the way his mouth works over a spot that makes my body buzz with excitement.

I feel like he surrounds me and all I crave is for him to be closer. He kisses across my throat and I cling to his back, fingers tracing long faded scars and still healing bruises. He hisses softly when I touch a sore spot but his mouth doesn't relent. His hand leaves the wall and he tugs away the collar of my shirt to suck a mark into my collarbone. I slip my fingers down, pulling him closer to me by the belt loops of his pants and he stills as I back myself up completely against the wall. He stops the assault on my collarbone for a moment, breath heavy against my neck, and then he finally kisses me. I sigh happily into the kiss and a smile creeps across his face.

A brief moment later I am off the ground, my surprised squeak swallowed by another kiss as the wall bears my weight and my legs are at his waist. I'm pressed between him and the wall and at times when I would have felt surrounded and unable to escape now I only feel safe, and for once I am leaning down to kiss him. I laugh into the kiss, holding his shoulders for stability, not safety, and let myself feel forbidden feelings in a forbidden place and I finally feel like I can breathe.

All of that is shattered as a throat clears behind us.

 **AN: Yay another update! I've been trying and trying and trying to find a good photo to use as an icon or photo banner for this fic but I cant quite find one I like. If anyone feels the urge to make art for this fic or suggestions of art that would work that I would be able to get permission to use that would be great! Chao for now! -Siri**


	16. Chapter 16

I blush as Tobias sets me down on my feet and turns, shadowing me from our intruder. I peak around his arm and I'm not sure if I'm irritated or relieved that it is Zeke standing before us.

"As interesting as your pash is to watch on camera," He points to the blue light above us, "I have something to show you." Zeke gestures for us to follow him and Tobias takes my hand as we obey.

The control room feels larger when there aren't as many people in it, like earlier, and colder too. I shiver a bit and Zeke frowns. "It has to be kept cool in here because of the server, I'm sorry." He offers Tobias a jacket hanging on the back of a chair and I smile at the knowledge that Zeke respects some of our courtship rules. Tobias helps me put on the jacket, it is far too large, and zips it a bit before pulling me closer.

"Thank you Zeke." Tobias states pulling me with him to stand behind Zeke.

"Alright, so, I'm really great at computers and all and I was snooping and found this." after a long moment of Zeke clicking away on the computer keyboard he pulls up a folder and begins opening and closing files until he finds the one he's looking for. "Here." He shifts aside so Tobias could read the file.

I catch glimpses of words that barely make sense to me but some are commands, supply lists, there are even maps in this file and it begins to make sense. "War plans?" I whisper softly. "Who would Dauntless want to war with?" I ask in a whisper.

"Not Dauntless," Tobias states tapping the screen.

"Erudite." Zeke finishes and my frown deepens.

"But war with…." my voice dies away as I figure it out. "Abnegation. But how do they plan to do it? I mean would Dauntless really be willing to fight Erudite's battle?"

"I don't know. I don't think so." Zeke states switching files. "I wonder how they intend to make us fight."

"We'll keep an eye out." Tobias states looking over his shoulder.

"If only I could talk to Caleb and sort this out." I muse aloud but Zeke shakes his head.

"No one can know about this. To us this doesn't exist." I nod.

"We should get back to our group." Tobias states his wide palm rubbing circles across my back. I nod and thank Zeke before we head to supper.

* * *

Our meeting lasts several more hours after we eat and I grow tired far earlier than I am proud to admit. After dozing off against Alyssa's shoulder she suggests to my father that we continue our meeting in the morning and several people seem to agree with her.

Alyssa and I share a large double occupancy apartment, each with our own room, but it feels so small without windows and I am concerned for Tobias. "I'm going to go say goodnight to my father." I tell Alyssa who smiles knowingly from the kitchen and waves me off with a dismissive hand.

I'm not four steps out of the apartment when I see Tobias. "Its roughly 9pm, the initiates have lights out at 11 so we have a bit of time to see your friends if you want." I smile and nod pulling him by the elbow into the vacant apartment across the hall from mine. He looks at me in confusion as I flip on the lights and my grin grows. " I have to change. Abnegation gray stands out so badly here."

"How did you get so good at this?" Tobias asks, teasingly.

"I learned from the best." I giggle as I enter the bathroom.

"Who me?" I hear him ask through the door as it clicks shut. I pull off my Abnegation gray and chuckle.

"No, Christina!" I call back as I slip into the black pants and shirt.

Stepping out I remove the band from my hair and shake it out noting Tobias has also changed. I stash our bags in the closet of the apartment before peaking out to make sure the hall was clear. I grin and turn back to Tobias. "Race you to the pit." As soon as the words are out of my mouth I dash down the hall, leaving Tobias to shut the door before he can chase after me.

Abnegation discourages anything done strictly for my own enjoyment, and that is what this is: my lungs burning, my muscles aching, the fierce pleasure of a flat-out sprint. I don't need to look to see that Tobias is almost in stride with me; I am smaller and faster but he has longer legs which makes our pace about even. I observe him as we slow down upon reaching the pit and can't help but smile.

Tobias' hair is a bit longer than it should be - a bit shaggy around the ears and nape of his neck - and ruffled, his cheeks are flushed and his chest is heaving from exertion but the grin of pure exhilaration on his face matches mine.

"Tris!" My head snaps toward the voice and I wave when I spot Christina and Will off to one side of the pit. By the time Tobias and I get to them Zeke and Uriah have joined the pair. Tobias grins and slaps Zeke on the shoulder and Christina drapes her arm across my shoulder.

"I know touching isn't approved from the stiffs but this helps you blend in I hope. We're going to have to do something about your hair though it kind of stands out." she notes how ill fitting my clothes are and frowns. "Boys," she calls over her shoulder. "We're going shopping."

"Tris." Tobias grabs my wrist and holds out a card for me. I frown in confusion but he just grins. "Don't ask how, just use it for what you need." I nod slowly before pulling him down to kiss him gently.

"Thank you." I smile, blushing at the cat calls from our friends before turning to rejoin Christina. "So what first?" Christina beams at me before leading me into a salon. "Oh no! I'm not cutting or dying my hair." I protest but Christina shushes me and goes to talk to one of the people behind the counter.

"Hey there!" she chirps to the counter attendant, "My cousin - I know! What a colour difference we have, right? Anyways my cousin isn't old enough to dye her hair without permission from her mum so I was wondering if we could hook her up with some clip-ins?" The attendant nods and leads us back to a chair, which I sit in, and offers me a colour book.

"Did you want a cut with -" "No."Christina and I cut him off quickly.

"Religious family her dad would freak." Christina explains with a coy smile.

The attendant nods to the colour I have chosen and fetches the clips quickly. " I have long full head that you can put in an entire layer or just streaks." I look to Christina and she shrugs leaving the choice to me.

"Let's make the ends of my hair this colour? " I suggests and the attendant smiles. He chatters as he puts the clips in and we learn he was a transfer from Amity who enjoyed working with hair but also shooting things. I smile when he's finished and Christina nods in approval before using Tobias' card to pay for the clips.

"Your hair is amazing!" I grin at Will and Al who have joined us and thank Will for his complement. Christina leads us into a clothing shop and begins to load clothing into a cart.

"I'm not going to have room to hide all of that!" I squeak in surprise but Christina shushes me.

"You try on what you like and we can work it down to 2 or 3 things." I fear this may take a long time but Christina offers me three red shirts and shoos me into a dressing room. One shirt is flattering to my figure and I simpler as I look myself over, but decide it is too low cut.

The second is made of the same fabric but with a modest collar and ¾ sleeves. The last is a bit less modest but with longer sleeves than the second and I smile setting the first two aside and stepping out to show Christina. Her eyebrows furrow and I frown. "What size and kind of bra are you wearing?" I blush and murmur my answer before she is disappearing towards the shirts again.

She returns a moment later with two different bras and hands them to me with a devious look on her face. I return to the dressing room and try them on. The first gives me a bit of lift and I'm surprised to note that it gives me a bit of shape to my chest but mostly a comfortable support that causes me to stand up straighter. Being self conscious is something that is frowned on in Abnegation but I've always been somewhat self conscious about how I looked more like a boy than a girl but in these clothes I feel like I can take on the world.

The second bra I'm not pleased with at all, it adds an extreme lift that results in more skin being shown than what I am comfortable with. I elect for the first one and adjust the shirt again before stepping out. Christina nods her approval. "Does it feel alright?" Christina asks and I nod.

"I kind of love this shirt." I smile shyly as I play with the studs at the shoulder.

"We'll go with this then." she offers me a pair of pants that when I try them on fit pretty well. I step out and smile. I feel like I really do belong in Dauntless now. Christina shoves my old clothes into a bag and takes the tags of my new clothes to the register to add to the card Tobias had given me.

We leave the store to find Al and Will at a table arm wrestling. When I catch Al's eye Will slams his arm down and jumps up with a crow of excitement. "Hey girls." he barely glances at me, his attention automatically drawn to Christina who has a roguish smile on her face, and I can't help but smile. "Four, Zeke, and Uriah told us they would be at Taboo."

" Apparently Four is getting a tattoo." Al pipes in and I frown. How does Tobias plan to hide the pain of a tattoo from everyone. I pause that thought and my frown deepens. If I hadn't witnessed the abuse or seen the marks I would have never known that Marcus had been beating his son, so maybe Tobias could hide a tattoo.

We enter the parlor and it takes me a moment to locate Tobias. He is laying on his side and a patch of dark Dauntless flames maring the side of his ribcage, ink mixed with blood smeared across his skin.

He gives me a pained smile which I return before the artist chimes "All done!" and cleans and bandages the tattoo. Tobias stands and carefully pulls his shirt on while talking to the artist. I'm browsing the tattoos when I catch the eye of one of the other tattoo artists and recognize her as the girl who had given me my aptitude test.

"Hi." I murmur standing next to her work station where she was sketching. "Do you remember me? You gave me my aptitude test." I state, my voice soft so no one else could hear me.

Tori's eyes flash to mine and then around the room, as if she's looking for something. "You shouldn't be here, especially dressed like that." She states gesturing to my clothes.

"What's wrong with this?" I ask.

"They're watching, they're always watching." She replies with a haunted look on her face.

"Who are?" I'm unnerved by her reaction to seeing me.

"Everyone, the council, the higher ups here in Dauntless." A hand on my back notifies me that Tobias has finished with the other artist. Tori's eyes turn on him. "How dare you bring her here. Have you no care for her life?"

Tobias' brow furrows. "Of course I do." He states his voice low and quiet. "It may save her life if she can fool members of Dauntless into believing she is Dauntless. We never know what is going to happen in life." I'm confused as to why Tori didn't react as negatively towards Tobias' approach as she was mine.

"Tris!" Christina calls me over and in my distraction Tori disappears without further discussion. I turn to Christina, Tobias en tow and look at the tattoo she's pointing at. "What do you think? I think maybe we should both get one." I shake my head.

"You can get one and I'll watch." I've never been overly fond of needles and the thought of one stabbing me multiple times doesn't seem that appealing. "Maybe next time I'll get one." I add trying to aleve Christina's crestfallen frown. She gives me a decided nod and drags me over to sit with her while she gets the Dauntless seal tattooed on her shoulder.

Tobias sits next to me with a smile. "You look nice." he states touching the bright red in my hair I smile and watch as Christina screws up her face and squeezes her eyes tight as she gets tattooed.

* * *

Our meeting ends shortly after we start the next morning and we're able to head home shortly after 10 am. We arrive home an hour and a half later and I'm all smiles when Tobias and I part ways to our respective homes.

Just after noon Tobias comes over to help make lunch and to get me to help him tend to his tattoo. I wash it carefully with a warm washcloth and soap and then pat it dry for him. I remember I still have his healing slave from when he was struck by his father and go upstairs to fetch it. After tending to the tattoo I head upstairs to shower while Tobias prepares lunch for us both.

Once out of the shower I dry off and pull on clean clothes tempted to pull on my dauntless clothes once again. When I hear a knock at my door I pat my hair down a bit before shaking my head at myself in the process and heading to answer it. I open it more cautiously than what is considered normal but I don't know who is at the door and I don't want the wrong person seeing Tobias shirtless in my kitchen. I blink as my mother pushes herself into my home before quickly shutting and locking the door behind her.

"Is Tobias here?" My mother looks panicked, her eyes are wild and her hair is falling from the hastily thrown up knot at the nape of her neck.

"Mom, what-"

"There isn't time Beatrice," She looks around my living room before reiterating her words. "Is. Tobias. Here?" I nod dumbfounded and point to the kitchen. Hurriedly my mother moves away from my door and I follow her, confused.

"Mom, what's going on?" Tobias is plating our lunch when he notices my mother barge into the kitchen. Taking in Tobias' appearance she pulls a set of clothing from her bag and throws it at him.

"You need to change now, Tobias." We both look at the elder woman in confusion.

"Natalie, what is this about?"

"There isn't time Tobias. Now, please." Her words are so desperate that Tobias can't seem to disobey and just nods disappearing up the stairs to change.

"Mom!" She finally turns my attention to me and the look on her face makes my stomach give an anxious lurch. "Mom, what's going on?"

"Someone knows about your escapades. Someone has accused Tobias of being a traitor and seems to have viable proof." My stomach drops and everything comes rushing up so quickly that I barely make it to the sink before getting sick.

"What happened?" Tobias' voice rings with concern and his footsteps are loud as he crosses the room in two strides when I get sick again.

"S-someone's accused you of being a traitor Tobias." His hand stills on my back and the room zings with newfound tension. I get sick again.

"Who?"

"I don't know. Andrew didn't say. He just sent me here when they couldn't find you at your home. It's bad Tobias." My mother sounds concerned and I know that she could get into trouble for helping Tobias. I could lose them both.

"What do you mean?" Tobias questions.

"W-what are the accusations?" I ask wiping my mouth on my shirt sleeve and standing up again. I feel like crying but I can't - not with my mother here.

"I don't know. There will be a hearing and consequences. Andrew was on the phone for a long time this morning before he sent me here. It didn't sound good though." My mother looks very shaken and I can only look at her for so long before turning my attention to Tobias.

"I think I know who did this. Where are we meeting?" How can he be so calm about this? My mother looks terrified and I feel like I need to be sick again but Tobias just looks resigned.

"Tobias no." My protest is feeble and he pulls away from me to cross over into the living room. He pulls his handgun from between the couch cushions and heads upstairs. I follow in confusion.

"I'm leaving this here." He tells me, his warm hands grasping my arms gently. "I'll come back for it after the meeting is over. I know you want to come but you need to stay here."

"But-" The look on Tobias' face silences me. He kisses me soundly on the mouth before heading downstairs. I stand in the middle of my room looking at my hands. Usually Tobias' kisses wake me up and make me feel alive but right now I just feel numb.


	17. Chapter 17

**AN: The end of the last chapter and beginning of this one is where we begin to divert from the original Divergent plot line. For a brief time we will still be in Beatrice's pov but the POV will switch to Tobias'. I know it's not ideal (I know a lot of people hate midstory pov switches) but at this point it is quite unavoidable and I hope you all enjoy the next few chapters regardless. Tobias' pov is where the Mature rating will kick in for those of you who have been asking and I will put a note when these scenes begin although they will be pivotal to the plot and I do not suggest skipping them.**

Waiting for Tobias to return home is like waiting for rain on a hot summer day. Every minute he and my mother are gone is a minute it gets harder for me to breathe. I try to busy myself by cleaning up after our lunch, cleaning my living room and hiding my dauntless clothing - and those Tobias had left here - in the loose floorboard under my bed. I begin to wonder how my mother had known Tobias would be here and how she would know he needed a change of clothes. The whole thing puzzles me.

I fall asleep over my knitting and wake to the sound of thunder rumbling off in the distance. The sky is dark and there's a sinking feeling lingering in my chest. Setting the knitting aside I check the time. It has been four hours since I had heard from Tobias. Four hours since my mother had come in and told us what she had heard and four hours since he had walked out the door. There was a feeling deep in my stomach that something wasn't right.

Going upstairs, I fetch the gun from the spot where Tobias had hidden it and tuck it into the waistband of my skirt. I wish wearing slacks was a more common occurrence, it would be easier to carry a weapon that way, before I sheath my knife around my ankle and head out into the darkness to make my way across the alleyways to Tobias' house.

My first knock renders no answer, and neither does my second or third. I test the knob and it turns easily under my hand but that doesn't surprise me. What does surprise me is the state of disarray the living room is in when I enter. "Faction before Blood" is spray painted across the main wall of the room and "Traitor" sprayed across every other wall in red paint.

There is a noise upstairs that startles me and I pull the gun easily, without much thought, before quietly climbing the stairs. The guest room is empty but someone, my mother, stands folding clothes in Tobias' room. "Mom?" The soft word pulls my mother's attention from her task to me and I slip the gun back into it's spot on my lower back.

"Beatrice… I'm sorry." Her voice cracks and the look on her face breaks my heart into a million pieces. She opens her arms for me and I cross the room slowly before wrapping my arms around her waist and pressing my face into her shoulder. As much as I want to cry I also want to hurt whoever did this to him, to us. That anger wells inside me and by the time my mother pulls away I'm trembling, tears of anger escaping for a brief moment before I wipe them angrily away.

"Did he take anything with him?" I ask quietly and my mother shakes her head.

"He's not allowed to. Everything here needs to be donated to the factionless, and things that can't be donated will be given back to Marcus."

"I'll help." 

It feels weird going through the things in Tobias' home. He doesn't have much from his childhood, just a small chest at the foot of his bed containing a blue glass vase and some school papers wrapped in a tattered blue blanket. In the chest I gather what Dauntless clothes I can find and tuck them carefully under the blanket and bring it down stairs with me. I know he may not have much use for his school things but the Dauntless clothes I could bring him sometime during one of the nights out. The rest of his home is pretty much Abnegation. I straighten up the living room while my mother packs up the rest of his Abnegation clothing, and stash the cd player in the chest. I call out to my mother that I'm leaving and she wishes me a good night, before I leave and head back over to my own home.

I'm not sure, when I crawl into bed, whether I'm crying because I'm angry or upset. Angry at whoever did this to Tobias, to me, or upset with Tobias for not even trying to tell me what was going on. I fall asleep with moisture under my cheek.

Wednesday, I am distracted most of the day. I can't seem to keep anything in my hands, from paperwork to my lunch it all seems to end up at my feet. When I drop my tray, someone comes and starts to clean it up, when I finally register who it is that is helping me, anger flares up hot and heavy from my stomach and all I want to do is kick him really hard where it hurts. I quell this thought and give Randolph my best closed lipped smile. "How are you, Beatrice?" He asks, taking the tray and returning it to it's bin along with the broken plates.

"I'm -" A voice calls from behind us and I turn to give my mother a bright smile.

"Beatrice, I need to speak with you about a family matter, please." My mother gestures for me to follow her and I turn back to Randolph and give him my best Abnegation smile.

"Maybe another time." He shrugs and heads back towards his assigned office.

I follow my mother, curious about what she wished to speak with me about. Once I'm seated across from my mother with a cup of tea she explains. "I need you to go see Zeke tonight. I want to explain what's going on but I can't, not here. I know Tobias had a way of getting Zeke to meet with him and I know you know. I need you to give him this letter," she slid a sealed envelope across the table towards me and I nod, tucking it in my bag.

"I've already talked to your father and Marcus about excusing you for the rest of the day to 'grieve'" She used finger quotes to show me that grieving is not what she had on the agenda for me. "I'd like you to go find Tobias, bring something that will hide your hair once you get into the factionless sector, and give him this." She gives me a second envelope which I also tuck into my bag. I nod gently and move to stand. My mother stands with me, taking my hand and patting it before letting me leave. "Take that weapon with you, too, Beatrice. The factionless aren't exactly the safest of people." I nod again and take my leave heading to home to sort my thoughts before trying to remember what time Tobias told me that Zeke took over shifts at the control center of Dauntless, this way I can be there at the right time when only Zeke will see me on the camera.

I don't have to wait long once I manage to get to Navy Pier. I figured I would see Zeke and maybe enlist his help in finding Tobias, rather than search the factionless sector on my own. Navy Pier is as empty as always, but it still feels dangerous being out here in broad day light meeting with someone from another faction.

The train arrives and I see two figures leap and dash away from the train before making their way towards me. Out of pure instinct now, my self preservation was at the highest peak being out in the middle of the day dressed in a dauntless hoodie, I rest my hand on the handle of the gun at the base of my spine, prepared to pull it if I needed. When Zeke approaches, he wears a frown set deep into his dark face but Christina is beaming brightly as she sees me.

"Those colors look so good on you." Christina coos and my cheeks heat up, still not used to accepting the abundance of compliments Dauntless seem to throw at each other. Opening my bag, I give Zeke the letter my mother had instructed me to give to him.

He takes it and reads it carefully as Christina chatters to me about Will kissing her by the railroad tracks. This is what I imagine being a teen from another faction would be like, your friends telling you whatever you want and you can react and laugh to it without worrying about hurting their feelings over it. We talk for a few minutes until Zeke comes to sit next to me, pulling a pack of cigarettes from his pocket to light one, puffing on it gently, the smell stinging my nose a bit.

"I don't remember the exact period of time Four and I became friends really. I know we started out in the same lower level group, along with Shauna. He helped me figure out hard words in our reading group, whispering to me when the teachers weren't looking."

"I do remember one time at the end of lower levels, it had just gotten warm, I decided to walk home since I had missed the train. Some older Dauntless boys had caught sight of me and started giving me crap about talking to a stiff." Zeke laughed at the memory, running a hand over his hair.

"One minute I'm shoved into the concrete wall and the next I'm running with Tobias. I helped him clean his pants and his hands and he just started sobbing. His mom had died the night before and he was an absolute mess. We sat for the longest time before it started raining. That was the first of many long days for us." Zeke looks sad as he thinks about it and I wonder where his mind is for a moment before he starts talking again.

"My dad, bless his soul, my dad was the greatest. I told him about what happened and he gave me the best advice. He said, 'Son,one day you'll leave this world behind, so live a life you will remember. These are the nights that never die. Befriend who you want to befriend and make the world a better place by daring to be a better person than what one faction tells you to be.' The next day Tobias didn't show up for school, or the day after. When he finally returned he was withdrawn and quiet and the next I noticed the marks. He was so small and fragile I couldn't understand why someone would beat their own child, especially one as small as Tobias. I decided then that he and I were going to protect each other no matter the cost. And then your mother happened."

"My mother?" I sit up straight looking at Zeke in confusion. What did my mother have to do with anything.

"Yeah. My mother and she had been friends for years when they were younger."

"My mom was Dauntless?" I tried to imagine my mother as a rogue Dauntless child instead of living her life as a quiet Abnegation and I couldn't quite get the image to look quite right.

"Yeah, according to my mother they were heathens." Zeke laughed gently. "I'll bring you photos the next time we meet." I nod, anxious to know a bit more about the people my parents used to be. "Anyways. We were mid-level when one of our classmates was found brutally beaten. She was fourteen and I found out from my mom she had been able to lie through the Truth Serum that Candor uses to train their children and initiates not to lie. She had confided in the wrong person and that person had sent her to her death. The discussion about Divergents opened up and that's when I met your mother." The look on Christina's face mirrored my own, a mix of shock and curiosity.

"If I find out you've shared this with anyone before I'm ready to, Initiate, I will have you tossed into the chasm myself." Zeke told Christina who looked at him fearfully before nodding. "We were recruited in a sense. My mother and Tori were designated as Dauntless' volunteers for the Aptitude tests. When they would notice someone out of the normal "Divergent" they would let us know so incase something arose we could lead people to the factionless sector where Natalie - your mom, Beatrice - had people waiting that could help them get out of the city."

"By get out of the city, you mean…" Christina seemed to have as hard of a time processing this as I did.

"There are people on the outside who want us to join them, outside the fences and the walls. They're the ones who put us here, but they're also trying to help. There's proof hidden somewhere here in Chicago and that's why Jeanine is hunting Divergents. She thinks that they hold the key to upsetting the balance of our society."

"So you and Tobias help get these people to the factionless sector where they find help getting out of Chicago?" I ask, my mind reeling as I thought of Tobias being alone in the Factionless Sector. "Does that mean he's gone? He's left here, too?" Zeke shook his head, resting his hand on my shoulder in an attempt to quell my panic.

"No. He never met up with our contacts after being condemned to factionless. We don't actually know where he is, but I assure you I'm keeping an eye out for him on all of the city's surveillance systems when I'm working. We'll find him." I nod even though I'm far from eased by Zeke's words and my worry for Tobias gnaws at my stomach like an angry animal. We need to find Tobias before it's too late.

⇝⇝⇝⇝⇝ **TOBIAS⇜⇜⇜⇜⇜**

I forget for a moment where I am when I sit up alone and in the dark. I remember briefly the fight I put up being sent to the factionless sector. My jaw aches from grinding my teeth and the lingering anger makes it more tense as I try to come up with a plan to get back to my belongings and Beatrice. Beatrice. She must be worried.

I sigh heavily and rub my hands over my face. I know what I need to do but I wish I didn't have to. I stand, pulling the now dry shirt over my head.. It's still the time of year where on occasion the rain is warm, but not this time. This time the rain was almost frigid and by the time that I found an open building I was soaked to the bone and freezing. The only evidence that anyone had ever lived in this building was the mattress resting against the wall closest to the window and a tattered blanket. I had hung my shirt on the window sill, hooking the shoulders over bits of broken glass and covered myself with the blanket.I don't remember falling asleep but I now know that this is a place no one uses any more or else someone would have been rousing me and making a fuss to get out of their bed.

I get up from the mattress on the floor and exit the room. I know I need food and water but that will have to wait until I can find it. Exiting the room I am in I move to the next one, testing the door. It opens easily under my hand and I push forward to look around. The apartment is empty, no furniture, no bedding, nothing, but the windows are intact and I make a plan to move the mattress here so I can be warm during the nights to come. I search the cabinets to find food and come up empty handed. The water from the faucet is a barely there stream of muddy liquid and I let it run, planning to find something to boil it in later in hopes of purifying some clean drinking water.

The next three apartments are no better, nothing works, there's no food in any of the cabinets and the water is dark and rancid. Moving up the stairs I skip floor 2 and move onto the top. I hate heights but I have to see how good of a view I can get from where I am. The door to the roof opens up to a large patio. There are a few broken patio chairs, a torn umbrella stuck into a table and several opened and empty bottles. I pick up a few of these to collect water in once I can find enough means to make a fire to purify some water over.

The view is stunning and although I am scared of heights I don't mind the view as long as I don't look down. I can't see much in the darkness, but the full moon illuminates the Factionless sector. I know that I am a good distance from the Abnegation sector but I can see some of the slate buildings from where I am. On the other side of the building I can see the Candor Sector and Erudite is lit up even though it must be late. I hear the train in the distance and smile. Maybe I will find something of some use to me on the train.


	18. Chapter 18

**An: I'M SO SORRY AND I LOVE YOU ALL! I know I said I would be updating sooner but this semester has totally taken a toll on me between school and work finding time to write has been almost impossible, but with summer coming up I should be able to crank out some more chapters. This chapter gets a bit darker and from here on out it will be pretty bloody. As of the last chapter we're at 50,014 words and this chapter has 1856 that puts us at roughly 51870 words! THIS FANFICTION HAS MORE WORDS THAN THE GREAT GATSBY! YAYY! We've got a bit more to go with this outrageous thing called fandom so I will hopefully have another update sooner rather than later.**

Getting on the train in the factionless sector was a bad idea. The minute I jump into the moving train car I'm ambushed by two men who have quite a bit more weight on them even though I'm taller. Being smaller means I'm faster though. I dig my elbow into the sternum of the one behind me and he lets me go long enough for me to duck under the arms of the other. I slide across the floor when the train makes a sharp turn, and my elbow comes into contact with a piece of sharp metal. Pulling it free I wield it as a weapon.

The first guy laughs and makes a move towards me. I swing more easily than I thought I would be able to, the metal is quite heavy, but the metal sinks into his throat like a hot knife through butter. He sputters as I watch him quickly bleed out. The other backs away from me slowly but my blood is boiling and I tackle him, throwing a punch at his nose. I can feel all the anger from the last few months boil to the surface of my body and I only stop punching him when my hands and clothes are covered in his thick blood.

I easily swing from the train and look around. I'm still in the factionless sector but even though this area is more populated people give me space to walk, parting away from me quickly and easily. Even though they're factionless most of them seem well kept and avoid looking at me. I don't blame them, after all I'm covered in another man's blood.

I keep my head low as I walk, I'm not proud of my deeds but I know that now they are necessary, especially since the Dauntless patrolling this area even avoid me now. "Hey!" I hear a voice, it's gravely and dark and I can't imagine it's for me until I'm grabbed by the shoulder. I turn quickly to take my attacker's feet out from under him but he springs away easily with his hands raised.

"Woah Jumpster. Calm down. I was just doing my job. Evelyn likes to meet all of the new factionless here so I'm going to need you to come with me." I frown as I take in this stranger who is suddenly giving me orders. He's shorter than me and thin, but not as thin as many of the factionless that surround us now. An eyepatch with a red blood droplet sewn onto it covers his left eye and I'm curious as to why he wears it. Over his shoulder a Dauntless initiate jacket is slung and it clicks this must be the initiate that Zeke told me about but what draws my attention the most is the name. Evelyn.

"Evelyn who?" I ask flexing my fingers as I try to get my hands to relax from the fisted position they have been in since I got off the train.

"Evelyn Johnson. She's our leader." I frown. I knew she was alive and living factionless, but I had no idea she had become some sort of leader to these people. I nod slowly and gesture for him to lead the way.

Our boots crunch over gravel as we walk and I count the buildings we pass, trying to figure out exactly where we are within the city. My mind shifts to Beatrice and what she could possibly be doing at this time. I'm not sure what day it is, but I think it may be Thursday or Friday, but I figure she is probably in the Government building helping my father plan whatever ridiculous meeting he had decided to set up for that week.

Edward and I walk for a good ten minutes before I'm lead into a large metal building. What looks like an large vacant building is now a buzzing hub of activity. Various people are peddling and trading goods and services; there is a woman cutting hair, two trading clothing for smaller or larger sizes, a man sewing buttons onto a shirt, two men peddling guns and one with knives. As we pass I examine the knives and it makes me think of Beatrice and I wonder if she's still wearing my knife.

My thoughts are pulled away from Beatrice when Edward knocks on a door at the top of the stairs. I recall reading in a book somewhere that this building used to be some kind of factory, which explains the stations each person is working or selling at, and this office, which opens to reveal a dark haired woman with bright blue eyes, eyes identical to mine, standing among a vast collection of books, used to once be a foreman's office.

"Tobias." There's surprise in Evelyn's voice when she turns to greet me and Edward. "Is that really you?" She reaches to touch my face but I draw back, reaching for a gun in my waistband that isn't there. Evelyn frowns. "Is that how you greet your mother?"

"My mother died when I was eight." I state, voice unwavering even though I felt ready to collapse. I knew that she was alive - I had known since I was 16 - but this woman - this woman would never be my mother. "My mother died when I was 8. My mother would have never abandoned her son and leave him in such an abusive household."

"Leave us." Evelyn snapped to Edward who was quick to obey, shutting the door behind him as he left. "I have a very good explanation of what happened Tobias." Evelyn stated but I pulled away as she reached for me again.

"Don't touch me, and don't call me Tobias. My name is Four." I've switched before I could even give myself full permission to do so. I do not want this woman touching me or treating me like her son. I just want to finish the task entrusted to me and Zeke and whether Evelyn Johnson was going to be a part of that is yet to be determined.

Evelyn's hand drops as if I've stung her and her eyes search mine for a brief moment of time before she turns and stalks back over to her desk. She sits the same way I remember her sitting as a child and right now I just wish I hadn't been abandoned by that woman. This woman is a stranger to me and I realize then, a pit like feeling falling in my stomach that the only woman I need in my life is still in Abnegation gray unaware of what dangers lie around her.

"Let me help you. I know what your mission is and I want to help. I was in your position once, that's why I'm here. They found out and I had to disappear." Evelyn seemed sincere in her explanation, but I wasn't going to let my guard down. "We need to protect the Divergent." My head snaps up and my brows crease.

"What do you know of the Divergent?" I ask moving to sit in the chair across from her. I know I shouldn't seem tense, especially if I want information from someone.

"I know that they've gone missing from several factions and that the Dauntless are killing them when they get wind of Divergence in their midst." Evelyn speaks so frankly that part of me is taken aback over how flippantly she regards these people's lives. I try to not let her see my hand fist against my pant leg and allow her to continue. "I have several Divergent here who have been rescued from situations like that. I'd be more than happy to introduce you to them if you'd like." Before I can make a decision a knock at the door interrupts us. "Enter."

"Miss, there's a thief in our midst." the one eyed boy states and a frown sets on Evelyn's mouth.

"If you want us to trust that you're one of us, Tobais, you'll have to prove yourself first." Evelyn stands and gestures for me to follow. I rise from my seat and follow even though the dark hollow feeling in my stomach lingers. I want to blend in with theses people until I can know for sure what Evelyn's intentions are and until I can know for sure that Beatrice will be safe.

We leave the large hub and cross the alley into another building. This one isn't as big but it's built the same - concrete floors and uninsulated metal walls- but is dead silent, our footsteps echoing as we pass many people and enter a room. "Sydni, what is going on?" Evelyn asks a tall dark haired person standing guard. I'm not sure whether they are male or female. Their face is feminine, a long nose and soft eyes set in a round face, but their body is slim and flat chested, head shaved on one side, dark hair left long on the other. They are dressed in blue Amity jeans and a black Dauntless top, tattoos curling along biceps and their throat.

"We caught this one sneaking around, trying to access computers in the offices across the road." The voice gives no identification of the speaker's gender either and I give up wondering in favor of gawking at the prisoner they have captured. Kneeling on the floor in between two massive Factionless guards is Caleb Prior. He's babbling nonsensical words to himself but when he sees me he seems to calm.

"Tobias… Tobias please, I was collecting data, not stealing." Evelyn silences him with a hand and offers me a gun. "We punish thieves here, Tobias. Prove you aren't one of them by carrying out his punishment." This doesn't set well with me, but I know if I don't get them to trust me then I will no longer be welcome here. I feel more Dauntless here than I ever did back home and I nod. I know Caleb Prior, I know he wouldn't hurt a soul, he's too kind even if he did transfer to Erudite. I feel like this is a betrayal to Beatrice but I know that this is what I need to do to survive and I pray she can forgive me if I ever see her again.

I raise the gun, aim, and pull the trigger.

 **AN: I know this was a shorter chapter but this was the only good place I could find to stop. I love you all.**


	19. Chapter 19

I squeeze my eyes shut, Caleb screams, I pull the trigger... and nothing happens. I open an eye and gaze at the gun in my chamber is empty. I turn to look at Evelyn in confusion and she is smiling which confuses me more. "This just proves that you're one of us, Tobias." The way she says my name sends a chill down my spine and I look from her to Caleb.

"Where do you want him?" Sydni asks as they step forward to haul Caleb to his feet. A girl joins them at Caleb's other side giving Sydni a shy smile before wrapping her arm around Caleb's in a vice like grip that has him cringing in pain. She's little and reminds me of Beatrice in the aspect that I don't think I would ever want to cross her.

"Take him to one of the cells." Evelyn dismisses them with a wave of her hand and it makes me question who this woman is. The two march Caleb off as I watch silent tears drip down his cheeks. I know I have to figure out a way to free him from this place but I also have to keep my guard up and play my cards right.

"What was his crime?" I ask aloud. I recall someone saying that he had been caught spying but what exactly did that mean?

"Erudite are looking for something and they believe Abnegation has it. We caught that one crossing between Erudite to Abnegation. Obviously the Erudite don't teach their children how to read maps." Edward states. My nod is noncommittal but he seems to take it as an affirmative and I decide to keep Caleb's true identity to myself, knowing that exposing him will probably get him killed.

"You can stay with me until we get you set up in your own space." Evelyn gestures me forward and it's compulsion alone that makes me move. I know I need to form a plan but I know that I can't defeat whatever the Erudite are planning alone so for the time being I decide to follow. I also know contacting Beatrice will be difficult without some assistance, but who could I trust here?

Evelyn shows me to where I will be staying and with unease I settle for a shower and the mixed clothing she gives me to wear. It's so rare to see myself in a mirror that I'm startled when I step out of the shower to see the lurking color of red skin masked by white steam on the reflective surface. I swipe away the steam and stare at myself for several moments in the damp heat of the bathroom just taking in my appearance. It wasn't long ago that I had seen myself, shaving was one of the few times Abnegation allowed me to do so, but my appearance had already changed. My hair was longer than what I remember it being and I think back to how long it had been since I had cut it.

Searching the drawers I find a pair of clippers and set to work the buzz a soothing familiar feeling against my skin as I take off one side, then the other, checking my progress as I went. When I've deemed my appearance to be more acceptable I feel more like myself but wonder for a brief moment how I was going to do the back. A knock at the door causes me to drop the clippers into the sink and I frown, wrapping a towel around my waist before I open the door.

A man with dark skin and black hair stands at the door and I frown. "Hey. I'm Amar. Need some help with the clippers?" He looks down the hallway once before shoving me into the bathroom without warning. I go to swing at him but he catches my hand with a laugh. "Calm down." he states in a quiet voice before reaching over to turn on the buzzers.

I pull away expecting an explanation and I get one as he evens out the hair at the back of my head and the nape of my neck. "I'm a friend of Natalie Prior's. She asked me to look out for you. I know what your mission is kid, I'm one of the people that it's saved in the recent years and I'm here to help. Natalie says she's sorry it had to happen like this and she hopes you understand why she couldn't come to your defense when you were outed as you were." I stare at our reflection and nod slowly.

"So, how am I supposed to continue now that I'm here?" I ask tilting my head down so he can get at the base of my neck better.

"We're going to have a meeting later. Midnight at the top of the glass building. We'll explain everything then." I nod mutely as Amar sets down the clippers and runs a hand over my hair. "Perfect."

I'm silent for a moment before I catch his gaze lingering on my back. I turn around and nod. "I'll see you at midnight." I tell him as I move to open the bathroom door and hoping to clear the suddenly awkward air.

"Right. Midnight." he states softly and I nod again.

"Oh!" A thought occurs to me then. "You have contact with Natalie, does that mean you can get a note to her daughter for me?" Amar nods and I smile for the first time in what feels like ages. "Great. I'll bring it tonight."

"See you then." With that Amar is gone and I dress in silence.

* * *

The alarm on my watch startles me awake and I sit up in confusion, trying to recall where I am for several minutes before realization dawns on me and I reach over to the chair for my jacket. Pulling it on I check the time and quietly exit my room. I know that what we're about to do is dangerous but I need to know how I'm going to finish what Natalie, Zeke and I had started.

The glass building isn't far from the place Evelyn calls home but it takes me a few moments to get my bearings before I manage to figure out which direction I need to go. Once I arrive I realize using the elevator would be too conspicuous and I need to take the stairs to maintain a low profile. My footsteps echo in the empty stairwell and I wish I had my gun. I hadn't felt so on edge since befriending Beatrice that I had almost forgotten how much the tension and sure anxiety of uncertainty weighs down on a person until now. I open the door to the roof and wind hits me in the face, causing me to shiver.

The conversation dies as I step onto the roof, cringing when the door bangs shut from the force of the wind. We're high up, very high, and I do not doubt that I would be sick if I looked over the edge. "Good, you're here." A voice states in my ear and I startle elbowing the person in the stomach.

Amar laughs as he backs away holding up two hands. "Easy there feisty, we're not going to bite." I look around at the collected group and take in the faces, some of these people I know, some I don't but one face stands out among all the strangers and names I barely know. I breathe a sigh of relief. Zeke.

My dark skinned best friend bounds over to me in three steps and pulls me into a fierce hug. Even though touch is still odd to me I clutch myself to Zeke in a moment of weakness and just breathe. We cling to each other for a few moments before Zeke pulls away and cuffs me on the shoulder. "Beatrice told me what happened," He pulled a letter from his pocket and offered it to me. "She sent these a note." I nod and tuck the letter into my pocket, intending to look at the contents later. "Natalie gave me permission to tell her what went on, and about the Divergent. She wants to help. Should I let her?" having Zeke give me the choice to include Beatrice or keep her out of it confused me a bit but I nod anyways.

"Even if we tried to stop her I don't think Beatrice would be the type to go down without a fight. She's too dauntless." I state with a laugh and Zeke nods.

"Alright, let's call this business to order!" Amar calls and everyone gathers around him to hear better. "We've got some intel that the Erudite are working with the Dauntless to find people who are divergent. We've got four people set to make a run to the border in three days. I suggest we find as many as we can and try to make a stealthy getaway. Sydni, you have the list and location of the divergent we are hiding here, correct?" I startle, looking to my left where I finally realize Sydni is standing. That's why she took to me so well, she was in on the entire thing.

"Aye, and some of the Abnegation as well." Sydni nods her hair tossing in the wind.

"The air… It feels strange, like before a storm." Sydni's companion, her partner that helped with Caleb earlier in the day, speaks softly, barely audible over the wind.

"The boy they have captive in the cells right now is Caleb Prior, son of Andrew Prior. We should let him go, so he can warn Abnegation when the strike happens." Zeke says and I raise my eyebrows in surprise. Zeke must have been briefed on the Caleb situation while I was making my way to the meeting.

"Do we have any idea when it will happen?" I ask.

"Prior mentioned they were going to inject a serum after the final initiation test, during the party." A blonde male to Amar's right comments and I nod.

"Alright, well. I've been in the Dauntless compound before. I can get in pretty easily with the help of Zeke and we can go from there. Figure out where the controls are and stop the attack before it even happens." The plan is sound in my mind and Amar nods.

"Mara, you and Sydni should go and work on arranging a way out for whatever Divergent we can manage and maybe try to get the Abnegation leaders to safety if necessary." Sydni looks at her companion and they nod.

"Alright, we'll meet back on Wednesday, to plan a bit more on what exactly we're planning to do and seeing if we can find more recruits to either protect or take down whatever threat is needed." Everyone agrees to end the meeting and I step away to talk with Zeke a bit more.

"Do you think this could actually work?" I ask him quietly.

"Natalie trusts Amar and George, and I trust Natalie." I nod at Zeke's sentiment and look over at the group still conversing lightly without us.

"I had a note for Amar to give to Natalie for Beatrice but I figure I should read her letter first and then reply accurately?" I mused gently. Zeke laughs.

"I feel like you should just sneak into Abnegation and steal her away." He teases and I frown. The thought had occurred to me on more than one occasion.

"I…" My mouth is dry. I've never felt so strongly for another person as I do Beatrice and that feeling scares me. "I've been thinking about that, actually. I've been thinking about convincing her to run away to Amity or the fringe with me."

"I've talked to Shawna. If this thing goes south we should just grab our girls and run. Deal." Zeke holds out his hand to shake and I take it nodding. "Faction before blood is a load. You and Shawna and Uriah and Mom, you're all my blood and I'd rather protect you lot than strangers. I don't know what I would do without any of you." I nod, sharing Zeke's sentiment.

"You and Beatrice are mine." I comment shaking his hand with a grin. "I'll see you on the other side of the war?" I tease referring back to an incident we had been involved in when we were children.

"I'll see you on the other side of the war." Zeke laughed before taking his leave. I nod, and follow shortly after, wondering what Beatrice wrote to me but wanting to open everything in the confines of my new room, alone.

* * *

Sunday couldn't come soon enough it feels like, but when it arrives I'm anxious. This will be the first time I've seen Beatrice since I was outed as a traitor. My surprise in reading her letter made me feel like this was something I needed to do. I need to convince her to come with me, to Amity, to the Fringe, to wherever we can go that we will both be safe.

All thoughts of escape flee my mind when I see her. She's in a plain gray long sleeved top with cream pants and even though it's the basic outfit in Abnegation she looks gorgeous. She has a couple strands of hair falling from the bun at the nape of her neck, one long lock resting against her cheek as she speaks with an Abnegation woman, offering her clothes.

When our eyes meet hers grow wide and I panic, dipping into an alley. I don't want her to see me like this but I know it was too late, she had seen me. Her quiet footsteps announce her presence a few moments later and I turn to give her a smile. Her smile is like sunshine, but it falters when she reaches up to touch the bruise on my cheek I had forgotten about.

"Beatrice." Her name escapes my mouth a moment before her lips find mine and I'm pulling her up and closer to me, trapping her small frame between mine and the concrete wall. My hands dislodge her hair from it's tie and I curl my finger into blond locks as I kiss her again. We remain like this for several minutes just kissing and breathing and taking in that we're alive and she still cares for me.

"Tobias." she whispers after another stolen moment. "How are you? Are you alright?" I can't help but laugh as I kiss her again.

"I'm fine, everything's fine. How are you?" I ask as I set her down and step back, unable to keep the smile from my face.

"Alright I suppose." she gives me a shy smile tucking a lock of hair behind her ear. " I'm glad Zeke found you." I nod. "He said there's going to be a Dauntless party at a Factionless Bar next Saturday?" I nod again.

"You're going to come, right?" I ask and it's her turn to laugh. "Of course. Stupid question." I laugh with her and it feels so right to just be with her that I don't want to ruin this moment by bringing up negativity so early on. On Saturday I'll ask her.


	20. Chapter 20

**A/N: Woo! 2 chapters in one day. I've had this one written for a while (This was written in march while at a party) and just couldn't quite figure out how to get here. I hope the last chapter was alright. Things are slowly falling into place and the end is in sight. Keep reading, Keep loving, and keep being awesome 3**

I had only ever heard about the Factionless parties from a few people that have been around when I met Evelyn on the rare occasion that she actually shows up to our meeting. I wasn't aware of how large and crazy one was until Zeke suggested we crash one after our respective initiation ceremonies two years ago. We've recruited a few more people, Dauntless born initiates since then to help with our cause, and after they pass initiation we take them with us to one of these parties. This year we have a group of 6 initiates but surprisingly only 3 are Dauntless born. Zeke trust the transfers so I do too, his judgment hasn't ever gotten us into any serious trouble before.

Christina is surprisingly kind to Beatrice and they seem to be really good friends after the few times we've hung out with them which makes me happy. Will and Al, the other two transfers, as well as Uriah, Zeke's brother, and Marlene -Uriah's girlfriend- seem to have taken to Beatrice tentatively but well enough that I trust her to be alone with them. Beatrice deserves good friends who will watch out for her and have her back when it's needed - especially while I am not in the position to do so- not that Beatrice would ever need saving but it's a comfort to know that she has more than just me to help her if she needs it.

I jump the train to Dauntless shortly after sunset on Saturday evening and smile to see Beatrice sitting against the wall, hand clutching my gun, aimed straight at me. She relaxes and disengages the gun, switching it to safety before standing and offering it to me. I tuck it into the waistband of my pants and I know we would look like one hell of a pair if we ever get caught. I laugh and kiss her hair as she stumbles into me, wrapping an arm around her small shoulders. She's gained some muscles over the few weeks since we've been running during the nights and play fighting and she has no trouble pulling herself onto a moving train any more. I feel a swell of pride that my friends and I have helped this small Abnegation girl shed her shyness and come into herself as a proud Divergent woman. I think that's what I love the most about her. Even though she hides it pretty well behind gray clothes and clasped hands in Abnegation; at night, in the darkness of her house or the shooting range she is all fire and power and just... _Unstoppable_.

We sit in quiet for over twenty minutes, the only sounds coming from the train and I think about kissing her. I think about it a lot, actually, and we've had several kisses but I always feel so nervous and it makes me think that maybe fate punishing us for desiring to go against the rules of our factions. I snicker to myself and Beatrice looks up at me curiously. I smile, running my fingers from her jaw to her hair and she returns my smile. It would be so easy to just press my mouth to hers and have my anxiety dissolve against her skin but with a loud "Whoop" Uriah swings up into the train car followed by the others.

"Beatrice up. Four, go over there with Zeke and the boys." Beatrice looks from me to Christina and back and I sigh softly. "You can't wear gray to a factionless party, Tris." The tall girl gets on my nerves sometimes but she's right, Beatrice would stick out like a sore thumb in her Abnegation gray. Nodding I stand and move over to where Zeke, Uriah, Will and Al sit passing around a bottle and laughing about something as their feet dangle from the opening in the train door. I sit next to Zeke while listening to them laugh and shake my head when the bottle is offered to me. I know alcohol and trains don't mix but these boys are Dauntless and Dauntless just do not care.

I'm curious as to what has the girls giggling as loudly as they are but when Zeke turns to look someone, Shauna I think, screeches at him not to look and we're all laughing then. It takes twenty minutes for the train to loop back around to the factionless sector and once we reach it the girls jump first and I don't get to get a chance to make sure Beatrice is alright before she's ushered away, Christina's arm through one of hers and Marlene's through the other as they all titter on about some topic I can't hear.

I feel my face flush a bit when I realize that Beatrice's legs are bare from ankle to knee. She's pale and sometimes I worry that she doesn't get enough sunlight, but the fact that she is bareis a surprise that makes my heart stop. As Zeke and I walk behind them with Will, Uriah, and Al, Beatrice turns to give me a stunning smile and I swear I feel the earth move under me. I catch a glimpse of Tris, the girl who was made for Dauntless black and kicking ass, the flash of striking blue eyes lined in kohl and dark red lips is brief but it's etched into my memory forever.

We can hear the bass – faintly - from where we stand above ground and the girls, except Shauna who has been with us before, look as surprised as Will and Al do and I can't keep the grin from splitting my face. "Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Fractured." Zeke leads the pack into a decrepit building with all the glass shattered out of the windows and heads to the stairwell. "We have to go down?" someone, Will or Al, asks and Zeke just laughs taking the stairs three at a time with Shauna and Uriah following quickly after. Beatrice and Christina walk slower skipping over broken stairs but at an even pace and Lynn walks a step behind them, Al and Will trailing behind her and talking quietly to themselves. When we all gather at the bottom of the stairs the bass is louder and I can feel it in my chest, rattling me deep inside and I grin. These initiates are in for one hell of a night.

When Zeke shoves open the door he flashes a tattoo and 9 fingers and the burly man at the door nods drawing us into the room. Beatrice looks nervous in the small room her eyes searching for an escape which I grin at despite myself. It's not funny that she's scared but it's calming to know she's taking my warnings seriously. I move towards her and squeeze her shoulder, lending her my strength and borrowing from her in return, and she smiles at me again. I forget my fear for a moment, forget that we're in a small semi-dark room, because I'm pretty sure I could live in her smile if it was possible.

When the man opens the other door we're hit with a hard wave of sound and the soon to be Dauntless step in slowly, eyes wide and Zeke laughs dragging Uriah and Al to the bar. Shauna finds us tables where the girls sit but Beatrice stands awkwardly and looks around, unsure. I move to her side, I didn't really have to think about it my body just gravitates towards her, and pull out the chair. "Sit." I know my voice is loud enough close to her ear because she smiles and sits and I smile sitting next to her.

Zeke comes back with four drinks carefully held together and passes them out while Al hands out others. Once we all have drinks Zeke makes some stupid speech as he does every year. "Initiates! Raise your glass." Everyone except Shauna, Beatrice and I raise our glasses. I nudge her but she looks at me in confusion and I gesture to her cup. She rolls her eyes at me playfully before raising her glass and Zeke nods. "In two days, All of you - except Tris - will be joining the greatest faction, the warrior faction. You will be responsible for upholding the peace between factions, keeping us safe from the aliens outside the fence, and not falling into the chasm." Everyone laughs as Zeke touches his cup to every raised glass before issuing one final announcement. "Your mission tonight, should you accept it," everyone looks at him in surprise, "Is to drink and be merry and try not to kill anyone!" Cheers rise up from the Dauntless and everyone takes a drink from their drink. Christina, Uriah, and Will empty their drinks easily with Al following a moment behind. Shauna and Zeke finish half while I only take a sip. I look at Beatrice who was frowning at her cup.

"Something wrong?" I ask and she blinks up at me before shaking her head.

"I was just remembering that first time we drank." She states softly and I smiled hugging her to my side for a moment.

"You drank a lot that night. Tonight I'll make sure you don't drink nearly as much. Let's agree, three drinks max for both of us." She nods and I smile kissing her hair before taking another drink of my drink. We sit for a while just observing our friends with random comments about things going on in life thrown in. After about an hour she and I finish at the same time and I stand taking her glass with me to get us both refills.

I sit at the bar and watch our friends, the girls laughing and dancing as Uriah tries to show Al how to throw darts. Beatrice is watching the darts fly into the dart board and I'm wondering if she'd like to try. As I'm musing over Beatrice, a girl stumbles over her own feet and I catch her without a second thought before realizing it's Marlene. I keep my hand on her back as I lean down to speak into her ear so she can hear me. "Are you okay?" I ask and she just nods before ordering another drink. I release her to let her go to the bar before turning my attention back to Beatrice only to notice she is gone. I search the club for her and find her with Uriah and Al at the dart board. She's throwing darts with amazing accuracy. I'm checking her posture when I notice Al has his hand on her low back.

I'm not sure what the feeling is that wells up in my stomach, anger or jealousy, but I don't like it. Taking our drinks I go back to our spot at the table and shift my gaze from our friends to Al and Beatrice and back, trying to make sure everyone was okay. One moment I'm watching Christina try to show Marlene some random dance move to searching for Beatrice once again. She and Al have disappeared. I stand, searching the room and find them standing near a wall. Al has her trapped against the wall, one hand on her hip and one touching her face and I feel every nerve in my body ignite. When I see him lean down to kiss her and catch a good look at her expression I stand so quickly my chair falls over and a couple of people stare. It takes me seven strides to get to them and five muscles to punch Al in the jaw before tugging Beatrice away from Al and back towards our friends. "Stay." I don't feel like arguing so I turn and stalk away from her and out one of the side doors for some fresh air.

I'm not sure how long I'm standing out in the crisp air but I hear the door shut behind me after a while and I sigh heavily. A hand slides up my back and I stiffen. "W-Was it really necessary to hit him?" Beatrice asks softly. "You could have just pulled him off and taken me with you."

"I don't know." My voice cracks and I sigh softly. "I just... You make me feel so weak watching you sometimes. Like, I know..." My voice breaks again and I huff angrily at myself before pulling away to pace. "I don't know how to handle myself when I'm with you. I know you are tough, you could beat the crap out of anyone you came across,"

"Except you, I could never beat you." She interrupts and I laugh softly.

"I'd gladly let you beat me and die happy. But there's just this part of me, maybe it's the Abnegation we're trying so hard to be, that wants it to be so you don't have to. I don't want you to have to fight or defend yourself or be unhappy. I want to be enough so that you don't need to do that and I hate the fact that I'm not. I hate myself some days because I know I'm not enough and then I hate myself because I always think I can do better, be better, but it will never be enough." I shake my head, trying to clear the crazy thoughts and the shallow haze of alcohol, and she laughs softly.

"Tobias." My name is a soft coo, like caramel on her tongue. "You're ridiculous. I'm only brave and strong because you've showed me the way. You've made me who I am. You should be proud of that, not jealous. My strength should be almost like a child, the labor of our time and dedication to making sure we can defend ourselves, defend each other, from any side and from any threat." She leaned up on her toes wrapping a hand around my neck to pull herself closer and I move back to step down two steps so we're on the same level. "You're extraordinary. I'm proud of who you are and you will be more than enough for me." Her voice is a whisper against my lips.

"You can't know that." I whisper back as she presses her forehead against mine.

"Well, how about we make a deal. I'm beautiful and you're mine, you're amazing and more than enough for me. I don't doubt myself and you don't doubt yourself." I slide one hand around her waist and rest the other on her elbow, laughing softly.

"Deal." I don't let my voice raise. Even though we're alone outside we're whispering, neither wanting to break the quiet moment that we've surrounded ourselves in. I feel her smile before her mouth presses to mine. It's a bit awkward but I shift tilting her chin so I can kiss her back, properly. The smile never leaves her lips as I pull her closer, pulling the arm around her waist tighter so I can keep her balanced as we kiss.

She pulls away with a soft giggle and slips her hands into my hair. I love the feeling of her soft cool fingers against my scalp and I move my mouth to her neck. I feel her sigh softly and the fingers keep moving as I nip the tender flesh beneath her ear. When I move my mouth down, kissing her collarbone gently the fingers stop and I hum in displeasure and pull away to blink at her. "I want to get a tattoo." She whispers and I laugh. Her face turns serious when I pull away and she slaps my shoulder. "I watched you get yours a-and I think I want one." I nod slowly and lean up to kiss her perfect mouth again.

"We can talk about it tomorrow, alright?" I know the alcohol is the reason she's wanting to do this right now. "I'll ask you tomorrow." I whisper and she smiles and nods.

"You'll kiss me tomorrow too?" She asks with bright eyes and a playful smile as she pulls away from me, letting her hands smooth along my neck and shoulders.

"Why can't I kiss you now?" I ask trying to pull her back to me but she dances out just out of my reach and I step up to follow.

"No, tomorrow. It doesn't count when you kiss someone drunk." She giggles and I chase her back into the building with a laugh.I lose her in the crowd for a brief moment before I spot her. Carefully I sneak through people and I am able to sneak up on her and catch her around the waist. She shrieks out a giggle as I plant a kiss on her cheek.

Beatrice spends the rest of the night in my arms – when she isn't dancing with her friends - and we dance and laugh at the antics of our friends until it's time to leave.


	21. Chapter 21

I wake before Beatrice does and I can't help but try to memorize her face. We're in the run down apartment building I had stayed in my first night here but nothing feels like it's out of place for this brief moment in air feels thick and I have this feeling in the back of my mind that things are about to happen soon and I want every moment I can have with her. My eyes trace the shape of her small nose and her flushed cheeks and the faded gold colour of her hair. I wonder what it would look like in the Amity sun, loose and bright and sun kissed. I wonder if she would freckle after many days in the sun, she's so fair that I feel she might. I breath out slowly wanting nothing more than to draw her small t-shirt clad frame into my arms and hold her for all eternity.

Her eyes flutter when I brush a stray strand of hair from her face and she gives me a sleepy smile. I wish I could live in her eyes forever. Neither of us wants to break this soft content silence we've established and I'm okay with that. I pull her to me, shifting so she's laying more across my chest and smile down at her, kissing her forehead gently as I smooth my hands up her back. "I'm going to Dauntless today with a few rebels to try and get a few more divergents out and then we plan to jump a train to Amity. Come with me." I whisper and her lips turn up on one side in a half smile.

The spell is broken then and I feel the air shift to a more serious nature. "I mean it." I whisper brushing her hair from her eyes to tuck it behind her ear. "Run away with me. We can go to Amity and get married, live in the sunshine and be free from all of this chaos. Go beyond the wall and live free of the disasters of this failed society. "

Beatrice's' face turns serious and she pulls away to sit up, facing away from me with her hands in her hair and elbows resting on her knees. "You know we can't do that Tobias." she whispers and she sounds as broken as I feel. "You know we can't leave. _I_ can't leave. I have my family here, I have the duty I'm meant to perform and you do to. If we run we will be nothing more than the cowards Erudite thinks we are." She stands then and I feel the pain catch in my chest. She stays silent as she dresses in Abnegation gray, pulls her hair up, and tucks away her clothes from the night before into her bag. "I need to go." She whispers.

I stand quickly and cross the room to pull her into my arms. I feel my world tilting off kilter and I can't fight the distressed noise that escapes my throat. "Please." I haven't begged for anything in a long time but in this moment I feel the weakest I've ever felt. "Please stay." My voice cracks and she pulls away, turning to cup my cheek with her small hand and she kisses me. "They're going to fight and people are going to die Beatrice." I'm trying to come up with a reason she should stay but my reasons are purely selfish and I know that I cannot give them to her. I note that my gun is sitting on the table by the door where she now stands and I reach for it tripping the safety on and tucking it in her waistband. "People are going to die and I can't protect you if you're not here."

"I don't need your protection Tobias." Her voice is a whisper that slides across the air and in a blink of an eye she is gone. Finality hangs in the air but I let her leave. I'm not going to chase after her. Not this time. I'm going to protect her, not the way I had intended, but there were already plans in place that were above my head. I feel the anger well up in my chest and I know the path that I have to take is one she will not approve of, but I'm doing it for her sake. This time, this one time in the entirety of the time I've known her, I know she can defend herself, but I know I can do it better. I pull on a shirt and leave the apartment but I don't follow her.

I sneak past the guard that watches the prison and stalk my way down towards Caleb's cell. I know no one will question why I am here, I'm Tobias Eaton, son of Evelyn Johnson and future ruler of the Factionless. I find Caleb's cell easily enough and unlock it. "Get up." I state and Caleb stares at me in confusion. I reach out and haul him up with one hand and the fear in his eyes spurns the fire in my chest. "Tell me what you know. How are they going to attack?" Caleb looked baffled. I slam him back against the wall and he gasps in shock.

"I don't know." he cries out. I slam him back again. "A-A serum." He gasps and I frown.

"That makes zero sense."

"It's a mind controller." This clicks with something I had read from Zeke's notes on the war plans. They're going to control Dauntless with a mind control serum. I have to warn the others. Pulling Caleb along by the front of his shirt shove him out the fire exit. "Move." I state shoving him again. "Go warn Beatrice and your father. They need to know." He stares at me blankly and shove him again. "Go!" He takes off running and I watch until he's out of my line of sight.

I find Amar in the market building, the name I've already forgotten, and request we speak in private. I would like an update so I can form a plan. Once we are free from the masses and standing upon the roof of the building I speak. "We need to get into Dauntless and try to save as many Divergents as we can." Amar doesn't disagree with me but he doesn't agree with me either. "My intel says they're going to use some type of serum to control the Dauntless."

"That complicates things. We need to get into Dauntless and stop this before it starts." Amar goes silent and I can see a plan formulating in his eyes. " Go find Sydni and Mara and tell them to be ready by midnight. We're going to rally and try to stop this." I nod and turn quickly descending the stairs to set out for my task. I know the elevator would be faster but the stairs get my adrenaline running and a plan formed in my head.

The girls are sparring in one of the empty buildings and I can't help but smile, thinking of Beatrice and my time in a space similar. "Ladies. The time is here. We're meeting at midnight, usual place. Spread the word.." They stop when they hear my voice and both nod turning to sprint from the building in seperate directions.

* * *

When I exit the stairwell to the roof twelve hours later the group we've collected is more than I had expected. "Can we trust all of these people?" I ask and Amar just nods.

"Alright. We're going to split into 2 groups. Group one will be here, waiting for command to dispatch to Abnegation if we fail to stop this. Group two will be search and rescue. We've got information, a list of possible Divergents in Dauntless. We know that most Divergents are able to break the hold serums and simulations have on them so we need to keep our eyes out." Amar called out. I didn't have to listen to him read off names to know I would be part of the rescue team.

Light Dauntless issue body armor is dispersed between the group and I'm amazed at the sheer amount of resources the Factionless have been able to gather. "You were waiting for this, weren't you? The factionless?" I muse aloud and someone to my left laughed.

"Evelyn Johnson's been talking of rebellion for about 10 years now." Someone else chimed in and a laugh trickled through the group.

The horn of the train signifies it's arrival in Abnegation and I know we'll need to leave soon to be able to catch the train when we need to or we will have to wait another hour and a half for it to come back around through Amity. "We need to move now." Amar calls. A semi automatic rifle is pressed into my hand. "Know how to use that, Stiff?" I nod without comment and follow as we begin to descend the stairs with the rest of the group.

As the train passes people began to climb on and I count at least twenty people before I have to jump on the train myself. The ride feels like it takes forever and I settle myself into a corner, memories flashing of the last time I was in this train and I can't help but smile at the final memory of the night after the party.

I will never forget the breathy moans from Beatrice's mouth as I kissed her neck and ran bare palms up her thighs, the pleading whimpers as I pressed her against the wall of the train car with my entire body and hiked her up onto my hips so her weight was supported by me and the wall, and the breathlessness of her voice when she told me she loved me. We didn't make it very far once we got back to the apartment, just far enough for her to pull my shirt on over her small frame and get settled into bed before the alcohol took us both off to sleep.

My heart rate slows I take a deep breath and lean out of the train car to gauge where we are. It's time to jump. "Let's do this!" I call out before taking a running leap, holding my gun close to my chest.

Once I had righted myself I realised something was amiss. It was louder than I had anticipated for a sneak attack. Then a flash of gunfire made the world light up as we were attacked. I threw several punches, gun forgotten on the ground. We had been betrayed. Someone had tipped off Dauntless that we would be moving tonight. Gunshots and yells echoed through the air and I knew I had to keep fighting, I had to keep pushing. There was no way I was going to die here tonight. As I focused on the man in front of me I felt a deadweight land on the trapezius muscle in my shoulder and all of a sudden I found myself on the ground, unable to move. A syringe was shoved painfully into the back of my neck and then a sharp blow to my head made the world spin.

After the world had righted itself I was pulled to my feet by two strong arms hands gripping my wrists behind my back so I couldn't fight back a gun pointed to my head as I was shoved forward. We descended several flights of stairs before I was thrown into a dark cell.

I'm not sure how long I paced the cell, grabbed the bars and yelled, my voice mingling with the rest but after a while the sound died to silence and it unnerved me. Sounds like feet moving in time echoed above us and then the cells click open. I wait for a moment, watching as others passed, feet moving in the same timing. Curious. They must have injected us with the serum too. I wonder who was faking and who was actually under the influence of the serum. I however, felt nothing. Falling in line with the others I try to not seem out of place.

I notice that there are several people who aren't under the simulation, watching us pass and it takes everything I can to not lash out and try to take one of them out. I follow the zombie like others and try to keep up taking a gun and climbing the stairs. The trains have stopped and when we go to board them I cautiously look around. I notice Amar a few rows over and frown, wondering if my companion is under control of his own mind or of the simulation. A slight nod is the only signal I need. He's going to give the signal. I follow others onto the train and when it begins to move I realise that it's going in reverse. We will hit Abnegation sooner than the hour it takes to loop around and I start to worry.

The sun has started to rise when we pass the factionless sector, but only enough to really catch movement if you were watching carefully. I see the black mass of someone running from the train and hope that whomever it is doesn't get spotted by the higher ups that are more than likely along for this train ride.

Abnegation comes into view and the trains stop again allowing the swarm of Dauntless soldiers to disembark and take up positions around the Abnegation sector and I'm concerned. The others begin to march and I follow trying to keep up the charade as long as I can so I don't get noticed. My plan goes out the window when I see Andrew and Natalie Prior running through an alley. I break away to follow, hoping to protect them.

"Divergent!" A voice shouts and suddenly I'm being chased by two Dauntless soldiers. I run head long into another whom I take down with an elbow to the nose. I fire shots behind me taking out one of soliders following but before I can fire again I'm tackled to the ground. I fight, trying to kick and elbow my way out of the grip but the three men who have ahold of me aren't budging.

"Take him to Dauntless." A woman's voice coos from my right and I look to see Jeanine

Matthews standing next to the Dauntless guards. I struggle again and manage to break away from my captors for a brief moment. I lunge at the blonde woman and wrap my hands around her throat, pressing my thumbs as hard as I can into the hollow at the base of her throat.

"You're killing innocent people." I'm pulled away by my hair this time, a hand across my chin, yanking my jaw back and two more at my shoulders and forearms, grips almost bruising.

"I wouldn't have to kill them if they would give me what I want." Jeanine quips back and I growl as I try to get away again but I'm not quick enough to prevent being shoved into the black car. One soldier sits on my left the other on my right and my arms are wedged so far up my back that I can barely move and I don't.

Once we arrive at Dauntless I'm pulled by my hair from the car and handcuffed. I've never been handcuffed before so I'm not skilled on how to get out of them which puts a damper on my grand escape plan. I'm shoved through a large door and into the computer room. I've been here a couple of times, and I frown when I notice Zeke typing away at the keyboard.

"Zeke. Zeke man what are you doing?" I call out to him hoping to get through to him but I realise then that he's under the serum control and I frown, fighting against my captors again.

"You should know better than that." Jeanine states from my left and I spit at her. She slaps me hard across the face before nodding to a man in Erudite blue. I fight against my bonds and manage to take one's feet out from under him which brings all three of us to the ground but before I can get his gun a needle is shoved into the side of my neck and the entire world fades to black.

⇝⇝⇝⇝⇝ **Beatrice⇜⇜⇜⇜⇜**

I wake with dread filling the pit of my stomach. Leaving Tobias was hard but I know that I had made the right choice. I could not leave my family to fight this on their own. If something happened because of my selfishness I know I would never be able to forgive myself. Gunshots ring out through the night air and I'm startled from my bed.

Running to the window I see hoards of men and women in Dauntless black and my stomach sinks. It has begun. Rushing through my room I try to find what I need. I go back to the window, trying to form an escape plan. I notice that it's not just abnegation people falling but Dauntless as well. I watch in confusion for a moment before I notice that not all of the Dauntless are Dauntless. Some have arm bands of an empty shattered circle on their arms. The Factionless Resistance. I had heard rumors but never imagined them to be real. I take a deep breath and go back to my collecting, preparing to fight.

There are times when I feel like I'm in the wrong place at the wrong time and this is definitely one of those middle of a gun fight between Dauntless and the Divergent Rebellion is definitely one of those places. The gun fire is loud and I'm surprised at how startling it is compared to shooting alone in the privacy of the old shooting range with my friends. I grab the gun from under my bed and tuck it into the waistband of my pants. I know I should change, Abnegation gray will probably get me killed at this point but I don't have the time. I need to find my parents and Tobias.

Tobias. He knew this would happen and begged me to leave with him but I didn't go. I wish I had gone. But I have to protect my family and our friends. I jump the stairs three at a time and make my way out the door. I'm unseen. As a group of Dauntless pass I back away, into an alley before making a run for my parents house. The door is kicked in and I begin to panic. There's no blood, no signs of struggle. They made it out safely, but to where?

I'm cautious as I creep out of the house and back around the corner. If my parents are safe there's no reason for me to stay here. I have to stop this. Gunshots to my left make me bite my bottom lip to keep from screaming out and I realise that now, now I know what real terror is and I should have never teased Christina for her fears. Bullets ricochet over my head and I thank god that I'm so short because I can easily duck for safety behind the concrete stairs I was passing. I lean up to shoot one and I recognize him. He's Nathan, the nice boy who offered us Dauntless cake at lunch time when we were at the meeting a few weeks ago. How did he get involved in this? Then it dawns on me, all of Dauntless are hypnotized that means Zeke and Christina are part of this as well. Tobias!

Tobias had said something about trying to get a few more Divergents out safely before the attacks happened. Was he one of these mindless soldiers? Would I be able to shoot him when the time came that we confronted one another? I don't know. A gunshot sends Nathan stumbling back and I watch blood stained his lips as his partner tries to shoot me again. "Beatrice get down!" Relief floods through me. My mother has found me.

"Mom! Mom we need to stop this!" I feel tears on my cheeks now but my mother nods. "Come on, I know someone who can help us." I nod and shoot the other Dauntless in the knee before we make a run for it.

"Where's dad? How did you know to leave?" I ask as we run. My mom fires two shots around a corner and then pulls me with her into a door that leads to one of the warehouses.

"Natalie?" My father's voice greets us as we make our way through another set of doors and another knot unravels in my chest. My father is alright too. My family is safe.

"Caleb, we need your help." my mother states and I blink at her in surprise. My brother steps around a pallet of wood and gives me a small smile. "We need you to help us shut down the program controlling the simulation." Caleb grows pale but nods anyways.

"I'm coming with you." Dad reaches out and embraces me before taking the gun my mother offers and my head is filled with so many questions that all I can do is nod. We begin to make plans on what exactly we are going to do but all I can think about in that moment is whether or not I'll ever see Tobias again after today. I hate how I left things and all I want to do is kiss him again.

"Beatrice?" My attention is pulled from my thoughts and I sigh softly wondering how we ended up here.

"Right. Well, We've been to the compound a couple of times, and I have an idea of where things will be being ran but I'm not sure how we're going to get there unnoticed." My voice is a bit unsteady but it's bold enough for my mother to nod.

"Aren't all of the Dauntless brainwashed right now?" Caleb asks. I shake my head.

"They will still have someone guarding the main controls. It would be stupid not to." I swallow thickly and turn to my mother and father. "Are you sure you want to do this?" I ask. Both nod.

"Alright. We'll need to take the train to Dauntless."

"You can't just walk into the front doors of the Dauntless Compound and take over Beatrice." Caleb protests, always the logician.

"I know a back way in." I whisper a grin forming on my face. "But you're not going to like it."

I laugh watching my brother pale at the idea of having to jump on the train as we stand at the fringes of the war of our society and wait for the cars to pass us. I jump in followed by my brother who ends up on his stomach on the train car. My mother and father follow close behind with a few other Abnegation members who had some gun training and had volunteered to come along. Once everyone was boarded there was no chatter or laughter like the last night with the Dauntless.

My heart aches thinking about Tobias but I know I need to focus on the task at hand. I lean out of the train car door and smile. We still have a bit of distance before we enter the city, the factionless sector passing us by now.

Jumping from the train is an easy feat for me once we get to the rooftops of the Dauntless sector but my brother has some trouble getting motivated so I make him go first giving him a shove that sends him running and jumping from the train. He lands in a heap and then my mother and father follow. The grace in which my mother jumps amazes me but my father was a bit clumsy and almost misses the jump. I follow after and laugh at the thrill it gives me to clear the wall.

"Do you do that regularly?" Caleb asks and I just laugh. The world around us is quiet since we were far from the chaos of the Dauntless attacking the Abnegation but the silence is almost deafening. I walk along the roof top and hum, I vaguely remember Christina talking about her first time in Dauntless, how they had to jump into a black hole with a net at the bottom.

"There." my mother points and I turn to look at her in confusion before turning back to see what she was pointing at and smile. There was a building several stories down with a large hole in the roof that leads to blackness and I nod. "We'll jump in here and then find our way to the command center and shut this down.

My mother and father nod but I'm the first to jump. There is no one to meet us at the bottom and I nod as I help my mother and Caleb from the net. My father leans over, hands on his knees panting. "If I remember right, it's this way." I lead the way to the stairs of the pit, being sure to keep my eyes open for any movement. We make it up two flights before we come into contact with a sentient guard. I sneak up behind him, intending to just disarm and disable him. As soon as I pick up his gun from the floor I end up with two guns pointed at me. I pull my gun up to aim at one and my mother comes from around the corner to aim at the other.

One chuckles while the other, a greasy haired youth about Tobias' age laughs loudly. "They're not going to shoot us., they're stiffs."

"You're seriously underestimating my character." I state before shooting the greasy haired teen in the stomach, my mother taking the other out with a swift blow to the head with her gun. "Let's keep moving." I nod and pull the vest off of the smaller man and pull it over my head, tightening the velcro across the chest so it is tight enough to fit some what properly.

We climb two more flights of stairs before we find the control room. It's entrance is vacant and I pull open the door to peer inside. No one is around. I cautiously enter, looking over my shoulder to make sure my family was still with me. My mother nods and I move forward. "If you get noticed find somewhere to hide." I nod at her instruction and look back to see my father and brother nodding as well. Our footsteps are soft and my mother and brother split off away from us.

"I'll go this way, try to find another entrance so we can surround whomever is inside." My father states and I nod, taking the easiest path into the room.

From the entrance I can see the screens surveying all of Chicago. Everywhere I've ever been is displayed in front of my eyes, but most of the screens have the fight in Abnegation screening on them. Each person has a marker signifying their faction above their heads and I wonder how long the Erudite have been watching everyone. I watch on the screens as two of my own faction members were gunned down by Dauntless soldiers as they try to run and I can't help the gasp that escapes my throat. That gasp ruins everything.

Two Erudite in dark blue holding handguns turn on me and I raise my own gun. I'm unsure which direction my mother ran but I regret not listening to her and hiding. I know she thinks I can handle myself but now I just wish she was here, her or my father. I'm not as brave as I pretend to be in the presence of my Dauntless friends. I never went through the fear landscapes but If i did I know that this, this would be one of my biggest fears.

I take out the two guards easily remembering to aim for their shoulders, the easiest targets to hit without creating lasting damage. I just want to disarm them not kill them. I make it through two rounds of guards and into the Dauntless computer room. Zeke is running the program that has all of the other Dauntless hypnotized.

"Zeke, what are you doing?" I scream at him moving to pull him away from the console but he shrugs me off easily and returns to what he's doing. I have to shut down the program another way. I have to kill the power but I don't know where the main power supply is. I look around and noticed the wires. I don't have a way to sever them, and if I do what then? Erudite will just find another way to activate the program. I have to kill the program all together but I'm afraid to leave Zeke, I know he's Tobias' best friend. But if I don't do this we're all dead.

The power supply has to be close so I decide to follow the lines to see if they'll lead me to it. Instead they lead me into another room filled with Dauntless and Erudite and Jeanine. I make a move, not thinking, to go after Jeanine but notice something that makes my heart sink. Tobias.

Tobias is standing with his back to Jeanine, facing me and my heart breaks at the blank look on his face. He's a zombie like the rest of them. A commotion outside the door draws attention towards me and I freeze. I'm thrown forward by a blast from behind me, and my ears ring for a brief moment before there is nothing but silence. Hands pull me up and bullets whiz past my head and I'm suddenly terrified. My mother holds my elbow asking questions I can't hear and others are firing into the mass confusion of Dauntless, Erudite and Rebel.

Caleb rushes past, low to the floor almost cowering away from the gunfire and my mother follows him walking backwards as she shoots two more people. I remember where I am and bring my gun up. I've lost Tobias in the confusion but I hope he's safe. I rush to help my mother moving back to back with her so we can keep an eye out for everyone.

I fire off round after round into shoulders and knees and hands of Erudite and Dauntless, faces whose names I do not know without thinking much. My mind has completely gone into autopilot and the only thing I'm thinking is I have to get my family safely out of this and find Tobias when this is all over. When my mother shudders and falls against my back I'm startled and turn, letting her fall and firing at the person who shot her. Red stains his shirt and he falls and realization crosses my mind as I watch him fall. He's all I see and all I can think about and I hear nothing but I feel the scream leave my throat. I move to take a step towards him when pain laces up my arm.

I've killed him, and now they're going to kill me. A bullet hits the back of the vest I'm wearing and I stumble to my knees. My mother isn't bleeding badly, her side barely nicked and she leans against my brother as she fires at our attackers but the unseen gunman keeps shooting me. I feel the pain in my face, my chest, my entire body is on fire. He lays there, motionless and I climb to my feet and move towards him again. Another shot, this time at my calf, causes me to tumble to the floor but adrenaline draws me back up. I've forgotten everything else, nothing hurts, except the pain in my chest and all I want to do is reach him. I'm bulletproof. I feel the impacts on my body, two between my shoulders, one on my lower back, my shoulder again but my body only gives out once I reach him and I collapse atop him and the sobs start.

I can't hear anything but I can feel the world collapsing around me and I don't know what is going on anymore. All I know is that I've killed him and now they're going to kill me. The arms of death claw at me but I fight them off. I have to see him, kiss him, one more time. I bring my blood stained hands up to his bruised face and kiss him, pouring my entire being into that one, final kiss before the hands pull me off of him and he is gone. I am gone. We are gone and there is nothing.

 **AN: And here we are ladies and gentlemen and all non binaries in between, the beginning of the end. It took me a while to sort this chapter out and to figure out how to tie in this chapter with the one before and the Final chapter which will be next. We've officially reached almost 63K words which means this fanfiction is officially longer than The Lord of the Flies and The Dew Breaker . Stay tuned for the next and final chapter of A Different Choice.**


	22. Final

Death is peaceful, just darkness and nothingness.

But nothingness is wrong.

I'm not nothing.

I'm Divergent.

I have the power to save people and I have to protect my family and friends.

I really wish they wouldn't, but sounds come back, like Tobias tuning the radio to get another Amity music station and I wake up to chaos.

"Beatrice! Beatrice come on!" Christina is shaking me and I'm startled awake by the tears in her voice. "Tris, please! I need you." The world comes back to me suddenly and I sit up in the warehouse. There are a million questions running through my mind but Christina's arms are around me and I feel her sobbing.

"Christina? What happened?"

"I don't know. I woke up with a gun in one hand and my pants covered in blood and I just.." her sobs shake her body and I couldn't help but cry with her.

"I haven't seen Will, do you think he's okay?"

"I don't know I…" memories flood through me and my voice leaves me as my chest explodes with pain and I let out another pained sob. "I killed him."

"You killed Will?" Christina pulls away from me and I immediately shake my head.

"I-" a sob stops my words and I press my hands to my eyes and try to fight them. "Four." Christina looks at me for a long moment before wrapping me up in a tight hug. Pain shoots up my arm and I gasp, causing her to pull away from me so I can examine where I had gotten shot.

"Your dad dug out the bullet and Caleb stitched you up," Christina explains as she looks at my arm again. "Your leg too. The vest protected from most of the shots you had taken, however, they did get you good a few times.

"And mom?" As soon as I ask that my mother appears through a door panting gently.

"It's time to go. The train will be here shortly." Mom helps Christina shoulder my weight for a few moments as we leave the warehouse and head towards the train tracks. "You're going to have to run. Get your feet together, Beatrice." Her voice is soft but stern and I nod as the train comes up the rails, whizzing past us. Christina jumps first to help people on board and I'm the last on, almost missing her hand and having to be hauled up by her and my father to avoid falling. The pain is excruciating as I run but I keep going, pushing through the pain as I know Tobias would have wanted me to.

Several more people join us after a few minutes, mostly Abnegation, but some factionless of the Rebellion and others, people trying to get away from the warfare of Dauntless turning on Erudite and other Dauntless. We're halfway through the sectors towards Amity when members of Dauntless begin to board, no longer under the influence of the serum. Will is the first one on board and Christina screams her delight and tackles him to the train car floor and there is laughter around us. Uriah is next he gives me a crooked grin before Marlene and Lynn follow him. After they is someone I'd never thought I'd see again.

For a moment confusion floods through me when I see his face - his stupid bruised face with my bloody handprint smeared across his left cheek - and suddenly I don't care that we are now Factionless. I don't care that people died and I don't care that my parents, brother and faction members surround us mixed in with the Rebellion members in a moving train. There is nothing but he and I at that moment and I shakily pull myself up with my father's help and throw myself at him, tears streaming down my cheeks.

His eyes, a tired but dreamy blue, peer into my soul as he catches me and my mouth fits his perfectly. I'm off my feet, his arm tight around my waist and hand warm as it cradles my head and he's kissing me back and we are all that exists in the world. In that silent breathless moment I feel my heart break and mend a hundred times and his heartbeat against my chest reminds me that he's alive, that I'm alive. That we're here and alive and heading for safety.

And for the first time in weeks, I feel like I can finally breathe again.

* * *

It's been a long night. I don't think either of us slept very much - at least I know I didn't. It's hard to sleep in a moving train car full of Abnegation and Dauntless Refugees. I don't think either of us - me or Tobias - has relaxed since we found each other again when he got on the train, and I can't blame him. I watched countless members of our faction be murdered by our friends under a simulation and he almost killed me and my mother when we fought to free him from a simulation.

The Amity buildings are dark when we arrive but my father knows exactly where to go. We follow and are granted sanctuary among the Amity. A brief meeting with the Amity leaders gives a brief explanation of what had happened, how my father and a few Dauntless renegades shut down and destroyed the simulations, and how there had only been a few casualties as far as my father was aware. We are given our own rooms and the chance to shower quickly in frigid water before we are sent to sleep.

* * *

I hear him before I see him in the darkness of my room and I just know that tonight…tonight he needs me to be the strong one, the one that brings out the bravery in us both. As I sit up he sinks to his knees in front of me and lets out a soft strangled sob. I have him, my parents, and my brother. The one person he had aside from me is either a faction traitor or dead and we may never know which. The sound that breaks from his throat breaks my heart and causes me to sob out with him. Though I am not strong enough to pull him up to me I am small enough to drape myself over his shoulder and back offering him the small amount of warmth my body can provide. He has lost more than a best friend tonight. He has lost the only other person to know him like I do. The dark and menacing Four and the kindhearted selflessly brave Tobias, and I don't know if he will ever recover from that and it scares me.

It scares me because I know, I know that this time I'm not enough to heal the wounds and fight the demons and stab the root of these problems with a knife, because this damage is internal and emotional and I'm afraid that now he is broken far worse by this than anything Marcus could have ever dreamed of doing to him. I am scared that he will never be the same after this and though I will love him no matter what I am afraid of how this will affect us.

I don't know how long we lay like that - until I'm unable to cry anymore I know - but finally, he moves wrapping me in his arms as he settles into the bed with me. I am surprised at first. The warmth of his body -on top of the blanket - wrapped around mine is new territory we haven't tested before but I welcome it after a few moments. His arms lull me to sleep with a new feeling relaxing me and for the first time in several weeks, I feel the fleeting feeling of safety once again.

* * *

I don't know when our positions changed, usually, I wake up to shift positions but last night I must not have because I wake pressed against Tobias' side, his hand curled around my waist and my leg draped across both of his. When I shift I realize Tobias is awake because he hisses in surprise and catches my knee refusing to let me move. I look up at him, puzzled. "Do-don't move," he whispers, his voice sounding pained.

I blush when I feel him, hard against my leg and I press my face into his shoulder with a soft laugh. "I… I.." I'm at a loss for words but then I remember a book I had read a few pages of. It was being passed around by some of the Amity girls and I had managed to get my hands on it, reading a bit before getting embarrassed and shoving it away much to the amusement of the other girls. Licking my lips I shift away a bit before smoothing my hand down his torso. "I-I can help," I whisper.

My words hang in the air for a moment, for several moments, and I blush more as his eyes peer into mine. "A-are you sure?" he asks and I nod, moving from the bed to the door to lock it before returning to his side. It's barely light out so I can see his faint outline and blush as I wipe my sweaty palms on the comforter.

I shift back to him, licking my lips before he pulls me close to kiss me gently on the mouth. This, kissing, is still new to us but it feels old. We have each other's mouths memorized like we've been doing this for years not months. As we kiss his hands find my hips through the shirt I wear and I slide mine down to play with the tie at his waist.

"Are you sure?" he asks against my lips and I nod getting the knot free and slipping a shaking hand into the fabric. He is hard and heavy in my palm and I swallow nervously. Tobias kisses under my ear and I let out a breathy giggle before I feel his warm hand wrap around mine.

He guides my hand slowly, letting me get the feel for it and him before letting me try on my own. The sound he makes when I twist my hand a bit right under the head sends a twinge between my legs and my breath to speed up a bit to match his. My hand catches the liquid and I blush a bit as he presses his face into my neck.

With the slickness, I'm able to move my hand faster. His hips twitch against my hand each time I reach his base and a moan escapes his throat with each twisted upstroke. He worries a spot on my collarbone where my shirt has shifted away from my neck and I gasp at the feeling of teeth. I squeeze harder than I intend to and it causes Tobias to moan hotly against my skin.

"C-can…" a shudder rolls through him and I smile shyly. "Faster?" he asks, his cheeks pink and I nod pulling his bottom lip between my teeth and sucking it in a bold playful motion before stroking him quicker.

His breath catches in his chest and his fingers curl painfully against my hip but I don't complain, the moans bleeding through his staggered breaths encourages me to keep up the pace until his hips are arched slightly off the bed and he releases hot and sticky into my hand. I try to stop but he doesn't let me, guiding me to stroke him through until he finishes shuddering and his breathing slows.

"You never fail to amaze me," Tobias whispers against my skin. He peppers gentle kisses along my neck and shoulder, frowning a bit at the mark he's left on my skin. "I'm sorry," he whispers and I just giggle before wiggling my way out of his arms to go to his sink and wash my hands.

I hear the bed creak and don't think anything of it until I feel Tobias' hands on my hips and I look up at him over my shoulder with a shy smile. He has changed into different pants I've noticed, but when his mouth finds mine I am distracted again. He holds me tight as his hand snakes under my shirt, one moving up while the other migrates slowly southward. I feel his fingers brush against the underside of my breast when fear creeps into my stomach but a knock at the door startled us both and his hands are gone.

* * *

No matter how much I loved the peace I felt when I was alone or walking through the orchards with Tobias when we visited Amity I always feel happiest when we're home. I like how cozy Tobias' room is, the basic Abnegation, with little touches of other factions hidden throughout - like my red bathrobe and Tobias' black jeans hanging in the bathroom or the blue bedspread on our bed. It's home to me no matter where we go or how far apart we may be I know that this is where we will both return to. We're supposed to be staying in separate rooms, but as a 'Leader' Tobias has a private bath that I prefer to use more often than the communal showers.

I smile at this thought as I watch the steam curl and billow out the door around me when I open it. I know Tobias isn't due back from Dauntless for some time so I move quickly back to the bed with a hum. I never get much of an opportunity to have the entire bed to myself, always preferring to have Tobias next to me, but today I can be a bit selfish and use it all for my own. Memories of what I'd done for Tobias in the past creep into my mind as I climb the stairs and I hum. I had had a very awkward conversation with Christina after her wedding ceremony, mostly about what I had done for Tobias and the mechanics of sex itself since my mother never really told me much - self-pleasure and sex are frowned upon as self-indulgent in our faction - so I have a little bit of an idea what I'm doing when I sink into the mattress and part my robe.

I had noticed sparks, every now and again if I scrubbed too hard when bathing, but to touch when I wasn't is a foreign act for me. After a bit of exploration, I find a spot, a bundle of nerves that sends a jolt of pleasure curling through my stomach and I gasp softly. I rub it gently and relax on my bed for a few moments trying out this new task that I had found. After several minutes I was becoming more frustrated rather than relieved. "Zeke said it's better w-with something… Something inside." Tobias' voice catches me off guard and I screech, scrambling to get a blanket to hide my almost naked body better with.

"Please don't hide" It takes him two strides to get to the bed and a moment to toe off his boots before he is in the bed pulling me to him, sheet and all. "You're stunning." he never calls me beautiful because we both know I'm not, but he has become very skilled in finding other words to describe how he sees me. His hand is warm on the skin of my back and I can't help but smile. His palms are large, his fingers long, and no matter where we are I always feel safe in his hands.

His face is awestruck for a moment and the nervous flutter in my stomach at the feel of his hand in my bare hip reminds me that we're alive, alone, and teenagers doing something that normal teenagers do. For now, we are just teenagers.

I gasp when I feel his fingers stroking, exploring, memorizing the skin of my thighs before stroking into the folds between my legs. I shift into my back and He kisses my neck as I let my knees fall open a bit more to give him access. He probes gently and finds the nub of nerves that make my lips part and my spine shiver. He plays there for a few moments - rubbing, stroking and tugging - before his fingers slip lower and dip into my entrance.

His fingers are rougher here and I gasp at the burn that accompanies the stretch, grasping his wrist. "I just… go slow." I whisper softly and he nods kissing my temple as he carefully presses his fingers in. When his fingers are past the second knuckle he groans and pulls them back out. The loss I feel is significant and makes me shiver but he replaces them almost instantly and I can't help the gasp that escapes when he does it again. It hurts, but when his thumb finds the bundle of nerves it's better, pleasure curling down my legs and up into my stomach, a sensation that causes me to moan out into the cool air of the bedroom.

We've discussed sex before, on more than one occasion, about how we'd like to do things properly, however, when my orgasm finally comes I'm left breathless as my body thrums with energy as if I had been jumping into the hole to Dauntless again, and I wonder why. We could have died less than a month ago, and we very well may die at any moment in time from here on out, so why wait?

When we've settled I touch Tobias' cheek planning what I want to say but he beats me to it with a boyish smile on his face.

"Marry Me?"

* * *

We're wed on a warm Summer's day. Tobias' hair is longer than before, but I like it slightly unkempt. I wear a white dress instead of Abnegation Grey, and he wears a dark suit that looks very good on him. Our vows are that of a traditional Abnegation wedding, overseen by my father who wishes us well. It's short and sweet with Zeke and Christina by our sides, and there is a large party afterward. Tobias looks tired, he trains people how to fight most days; working with those who wish to learn self-defense, but he always has a smile for me and the children I tend to after school has finished.

We've talked about children since we've gotten married, but neither of us is really set on the idea just yet. We're still young and have plenty of time for that. Right now we're planning on just spending our time doing what we love, spending time with our friends, and loving each other.

And for now, that's enough.

AN: And this is the end of our little saga. There may or may not be a sequel to this, depending on if I get inspiration or not for it. At the current moment in time, I'm working on Rewrite The Stars, a Star Wars Fanfic about Reylo set post-TLJ. If you're interested please pop over and read it either here or under my account on AO3 with the same username that updates every Friday. If you enjoyed this fic please recommend it or any of my other works to your friends. After all I write these fics for you, the readers, and if you don't comment and share it feels like there's a lack of intrest which makes us authors sad.


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